QT 11/11/2026 John 5:24–30, Real belief versus intellectual assent to certain truths

John 5:24–30 (ESV) —

24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

25 “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

30 “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.

 

NOTE: Very clearly, Jesus lays out the requirements for eternal life. He has already stated that to not believe is to do evil.

 

John 3:36 (ESV) — Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

John 3:19 (ESV) — And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

 

Later, in verse 29, he discusses the resurrection of the dead. To do evil is to choose not to believe. Salvation is never by works. One is never saved by verbally saying they believe. Only a changed life can verify true belief. If there is no change, there was no transformation. Intellectual assent to biblical truths does not equate to salvation. But works are the evidence of true belief and transformation.

 

How does this apply to us? There are many so-called Christians who show no evidence of a changed life. Christians are not perfect and will sin, but a true believer will change. The true believer will sense the Holy Spirit working within to change from the inside out. It will be obvious.

 

PONDER:

1. Am I changing to become more life Christ? If not, do I truly know and believe in Jesus as my savior?

 

PRAYER: Father, in these last days of apostasy, this behavior will become more and more frequent. People will pretend to believe but will live in opposition to God and his word. We seeing it in politics and in all places in life. Even religious leaders who do not believe, pretend to walk with God. There is a great judgment coming upon the world. I pray for boldness to share Jesus with as many as possible. We have a greater future coming.

QT 11/10/2026 John 5:16–23, Listening to voices of death

John 5:16–23 (ESV) —

16 And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

18 This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. 22 For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

 

NOTE: Quite often, you hear the comment that Jesus never claimed to be God. That statement is refuted in multiple passages. One of the ways it is seen is the response of the Jewish community to Jesus here in this passage. Already, the desire to kill Jesus is building up, and the reason is that the Jewish community understood that he was calling himself God. Modern day critics may try to argue verbal semantics about calling God his Father, but they clearly were not the Jews who lived in the first century. But, people believe what they want to believe these days, ignoring evidence that contradicts what they hold to be true. That might be fine and dandy until you die, but the cost is an eternity in Hell. And yes, Jesus spoke more about Hell than any other person in the bible.

 

PONDER:

1. Have I truly examined the evidence, or am I relying on supposed contradictions that I have never really studied myself?
2. Don't let some atheist send you to hell, search the scriptures yourself.

 

PRAYER: Father, I pray for you to change the hearts of those whose only intent is to ignore your voice calling them to believe. Give them new life, born again life.

QT 11/9/2026 John 5:1–15, Balancing emotion and law

John 5:1–15 (ESV) —

1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. 3 In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. 5 One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” 7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” 9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.

Now that day was the Sabbath. 10 So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” 11 But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’ ” 12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” 13 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” 15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him.

 

NOTE: An incredibly miraculous event has occurred, and the Jews (I assume Pharisees) are only concern with why he was carrying his mat on the Sabbath. I wonder how often this happens to us, we miss out on the miraculous because of a letter of the law concern. So, does law trump simple acts of kindness? How does one square violations of the law with a love for people? We can celebrate the joy of an event but the law stills needs to be followed. The law cannot be thrown down, or else no law exists. A law can be cancelled by higher authorities such as Jesus when he nailed the entire OT law to the cross through his death. But the New Testament teaches that we must submit to the governing authorities (today's laws). We have to obey the law. We can celebrate good things that might seem to be contrary to the law, but ultimately the law must be followed. We don't get to choose what is moral and what is not moral. Until a higher authority changes the law, we must follow it, except in cases where it violates God's law, such as the state demanding the abortion of a handicapped child in the womb.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I miss out on the joy of the moment over some minor infraction?

 

PRAYER: Father, I feel as if my notes above hide the issue in my mind. What is right and what is wrong? We are told to obey our secular rulers. The law may seem cruel, but not a violation of your law. Help me to see and understand the difference and my response to those who place emotions above logical truths. Emotions are important and give good reason for secular law change, but logic is the ultimate method to handle the issues. Issues must be looked at from all angles. Again, give me wisdom I pray.

QT 11/6/2026 John 4:49–54, We are choosing a false hope

John 4:49–54 (ESV) —

49 The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. 51 As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. 52 So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 53 The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household. 54 This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.

 

NOTE: Already enough is known about Jesus that requests for healing are coming in to him. In this case it is an official from Capernaum. Most of us can feel the pain in the official's request. His son is dying. He is at the end of his rope. He turns to Jesus. He is convinced that if Jesus would only come with him, his son would be healed. Instead, Jesus tells him to go, and his son will live. He takes Jesus at his word and later finds that it was at that moment that the son turned the corner and started to recover.

 

We need the real Jesus, nothing else will satisfy our souls.

 

We live in a world where the gospel has been distorted greatly. We have false teachers who quote the bible out of context and develop false conclusions about gender, sex, life, and right and wrong. Some of these men have even become our political leaders. This is a great evil that befalls our nation. We probably deserve worse because of our own sin. As Christians, we give lip service to discipleship, and then wonder why we are ineffective in bringing people to Christ. We are not serious about our relationship to God.

 

PONDER:

1. What are we living for, comfort or God?
2. Where do we see our salvation, in government or in God?

 

PRAYER: Father, I do not know when the end will come, but if it is soon, we are certainly following a script predicted almost two thousand years ago.

 

2 Thessalonians 2:3 (ESV) — Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,

2 Timothy 4:3–4 (ESV) — 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Jude 3–4 (ESV) — 3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Matthew 24:10–13 (ESV) — 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

2 Timothy 3:1–5 (ESV) — 1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

 

It is hard to read these verses and not see it happening today. O Lord, have mercy on us. Open our eyes to real truth found in your word.

QT 11/5/2026 John 4:43–48, Serious or playing games?

John 4:43–48 (ESV) —

43 After the two days he departed for Galilee. 44 (For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.) 45 So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast.

46 So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.”

 

NOTE: We are a fickle being. We are always looking for something different, never satisfied with life. We flirt with everything outside the will of God, not believing that God's will satisfies. We make excuses for why we cannot spend time with God. We misuse words, like "legalistic" to justify our laziness. We don't want to be serious with God, but we are serious when something is very important to us. We come out of shell and cry out for God when life is falling apart, but as soon as life gets easy, we revert to our laziness or our desire for comfort. Those in Galilee had every reason to believe in Jesus, but they wanted signs and wonders, like what had happened in Jerusalem. Signs and wonders do not last long. They are like a drug, you are always wanting more. But a serious and disciplined relationship with Jesus changes life in ways that can never be imagined. You can stop looking for politics to make your life better, and realize you already have the perfect eternal life made ready for you, if you would only believe.

 

PONDER:

1. Am I really serious about God, or is he secondary to life?

 

PRAYER: Father, forgive me when the world turns my eyes away from you. Help me to know how to truly help others to grow in their walk with you. Give me wisdom and ideas.

QT 11/4/2026 John 4:39–45, Why do we pretend to follow Christ?

John 4:39–45 (ESV) —

39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word. 42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

43 After the two days he departed for Galilee. 44 (For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.) 45 So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast.

 

NOTE: There is a bit of a contrast here. On one side is the Samaritans who are skeptical and unsure of Jesus, but end up believing after seeing him. On the other side is his hometown Jews, who knew him, also welcome him, also had seen his works, who would later turn against him.

 

So what do we learn. You can know about Jesus. You can grow up with Jesus (i.e., in the church). But the only ones who truly know Jesus are those who believe in him and welcome him in their hearts, otherwise they too will turn away later in life. Some will put him on the shelf, not truly committed, willing to use the name, but not willing to really change their lives by repenting of their sins.

 

In some ways, it easier to be a Samaritan (outside the church) and be saved than to grow up in the church (a Jew) and never really believe in Jesus. They are the group that yells "crucify him" when he did not change the evil Roman empire into something they wanted for their material comfort.

 

PONDER:

1. Will you still follow Jesus even if life is uncomfortable?
2. Will you still follow Jesus if your government is corrupted?
3. Do you really know the Jesus of the bible? Read it to find out the real Jesus -- don't listen to literally stupid politicians interpretation.

 

PRAYER: Father, it is discouraging to see the direction our country is choosing. Of course, if we are near the end times, this is what must happen. There must be a great apostasy where many turn away from biblical truth. We are there. Much of the world is there. I wonder what is next.

QT 11/3/2026 John 4:27-38, Jesus is the only hope for true life

John 4:27–38 (ESV) —

27 Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” 28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” 30 They went out of the town and were coming to him.

31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

 

NOTE: The disciples went out look for physical food, but Jesus was involved with spiritual food. The disciples believed that the physical was very important. Jesus replied in an almost uncaring manner, that he had food, spiritual food. Putting the two imageries together, there was a saying at the end of the spring and before the fall harvests that 4 months until the real harvest. But at that moment, people from the Samaritan town were walking out to Jesus. He tells the disciples to look, here comes the harvest now.

 

I was attending to a emergency yesterday and could not finish this on the 3rd. Today, results of the election are in. It is disappointing to say the least but it is also not important. Our hope is not in elections but in God. Laws cannot save us, but Jesus can save people. If anything, our witness should be even more clear and compelling during the days ahead. The elections scream out the need -- there is a very large group of lost who need Jesus.

 

PONDER:

1. What really is more important to me, the physical or the eternal?
2. What am I really living for?

 

PRAYER: Father, give us a strong witness in these days. I pray for the true disciples to rise up and to know that we serve Jesus, not this physical world.

QT 11/2/2026 John 4:21–26, The subtle excuses we use

 

John 4:21–26 (ESV) —

21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”

 

NOTE: When Jesus challenged the woman on her many marriages and her current living situation, the woman changes the topic to 'where one should worship.' The problem is that the woman has a very bad memory or a very bad misunderstanding of what happened to the ten tribes, the Northern Kingdom, also called Israel. Jeroboam, Son of Nebat, the first king after the split from Judah, set up worship sites at the two ends of the kingdom. He used an image of a cow at each site, just like what angered God during the Exodus. Israel should have never worshipped on either mountain or any image.

 

The good news is those failures are past. The woman again changes the subject to the Messiah who would answer all the questions. Jesus tells her plainly that he is the Messiah. He comes not just for Judah, but for all the tribes, and he comes for the Gentiles. He comes for men and woman. He comes for slave and free. He comes to save the whole world from their sins if they will only believe.

 

And here we are today, possibly a few years away from his wrath being poured out on the world for their unbelief. We are like the Samaritan woman, stuck in sin, and still putting up excuses. The gospels are very clear. Only the stubborn and rebellious refuse to believe with their made-up arguments. The message still is true: repent and believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I cling to lies?
2. Have I hid behind supposed logic that is really false?
3. Have I truly searched the scriptures? (Start with the gospel of John if you don't know where to start.)

 

PRAYER: Father, we are heading fast into a very dark world. Open our eyes to truth before it is too late.

QT 10/30/2026 John 4:11–20, Responding to the skeptics

John 4:11–20 (ESV) —

11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.”

 

NOTE: I have been in a number of these faith conversations. This is fairly typical. The women's first response seems cynical -- Jesus is talking about living water and she points out that he nothing to draw living water. I'm pretty sure she knew he was not talking about the well. Next, Jesus is even clearer about his living water becoming eternal life. But, she sees this living water as an issue of comfort and not having to draw water again. Next, Jesus tells her to call her husband, but her response is cryptic, "I have no husband." Jesus graciously calls her truthful, and then says you have had 5 husbands and the guy you are living with now is not your husband. Now her sin has been exposed, and I've seen this over and over again when the truth gets too close, she tries to change the subject. She will try that again, before taking action.

 

Sometimes I will respond to the change of subject with a "you are not really interested in the answer to your question. People say they are interested but then, as the question is being answered, keep adding a new question, hoping to stump the Christian. All the answers are out there, and if you were really interested in a true answer, you could just ask AI, 'what is the Christian apologist's answer to blah-blah-blah question." Never ask the AI the question directly, it will only give you the social media majority opinion, which is almost always the non-Christian answer. Ask for the Christian apologist's answer if you are truly interested in the Christian response. Otherwise, you will only get what confirms your own biases.

 

I built AI models. I led the enterprise data science office for a fortune 100 company. I can tell you clearly, they do not think. They are only matrix algebra formulations of a lot of data, mostly social media.

 

PONDER:

1. Am I really interested in answers or just in quieting the answers I don't want to hear?
2. Am I prepared to give an answer to anyone who calls me to account for the hope that I have in me?

 

PRAYER: Father, help me to be gracious as Jesus was with the Samaritan women. I too can be critical of those who ask faith questions, but maybe, someday those answers might make a difference in their lives.

QT 10/29/2026 John 4:1–10, Does not getting what we want in life cause emotional rage?

John 4:1–10 (ESV) —

1 Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2 (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), 3 he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. 4 And he had to pass through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.

7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”

 

NOTE: I had not noticed how John had placed this story up against the previous story of Nicodemus. The previous story concerned an important man, with reputation, who met Jesus in the night and whose first question is "how." This next story is a story of extremes, a Samaritan women (later we would find multiple divorces), getting water in the middle of the day (to avoid the eyes of other women), and also asking "how." She was a picture of a "nobody" with also a sarcastic attitude, probably because life had not worked for her. Tenney describes her response to Jesus (in today's language) as:

 

“There was a trace of sarcasm in the woman’s reply, as if she meant, ‘We Samaritans are the dirt under your feet until you want something; then we are good enough!”

 

From one end of the "importance" spectrum to the "bottom," Jesus shows that all mankind is equal in God's eyes. She was not a person to be avoided, but a lost soul, chewed up and spit out by the evil system of sin.

 

Today, these same souls go looking for a cause to exhaust their rage at life. They look for same-sex relationships, they look for perceived injustice, they look for someone to be angry at. This Samaritan woman would have done the same I think if life was not so much harder to survive. She had to get water from a hill some distance from the village. They were no poverty programs or government handouts. Staying alive was her cause.

 

When I look at the women emotionally exhausted by life, and raging out their anger, I need to remember Jesus' compassion for their plight. I don't have the best attitude for these souls. I admit that is sin on my part.

 

PONDER:

1. What is it you really want in life?
2. Are you an angry person -- what is it you want but cannot get? Most anger is because a person wants something but it is not happening.

 

PRAYER: Father, forgive me for disregarding these women in my society. I'm the sarcastic one who finds amusement in their foolishness and rage. That is wrong. I confess my sin. My applications, at least a first step, is to pray for the person every time I see another example of a person consumed by hatred.

QT 10/28/2026 John 3:31–36, Unbelief is a sin not covered by the cross

John 3:31–36 (ESV) —

31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. 33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

 

NOTE: The bible says that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world. But there is still one sin that Jesus did not die for, the sin of unbelief in the Son of God. For those who do not believe, the wrath of God remains on them. This is a strong statement against those who might believe in universalism (the belief that all human beings are ultimately saved and reconciled to God). I don't see how one can ignore this verse. It is wishful thinking that God will save everyone despite their lack of belief in Jesus. Over and over again in this gospel and in John's three letters, John makes it clear that only those who believe in Jesus will experience salvation.

 

I would only add that intellectual assent in the existence of God or Jesus is not belief. The Greek word carries a strong sense of commitment. John's writings argue that obedience is an essential quality of a truly-saved individual.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I believe or do I only give lip service to God?
2. Has Jesus changed my life? Is there any evidence that I am a new creature because of my faith?

 

PRAYER: Father, I know that works cannot save me, but I also know that my works is evidence that you saved me. I don't think I have arrived in any sense, but I do see the changes you have cause and the changes you are still working in my life.

QT 10/27/2026 John 3:27–30, Being okay with not being seen

John 3:27–30 (ESV) —

27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

 

NOTE: John clearly understood his place in the kingdom and his role. He supported the bridegroom and he was the friend of the bridegroom (in this case, quite an honor). His joy was in seeing his friend succeed. He had no aspirations for fame or honor or prestige or notoriety. He was THANKFUL for the role God had given him. He knew that he was not deserving to be the messenger for the Messiah, but by grace, God had called him to that ministry. He was 100 percent behind God's leadership choice. He was just glad to be a part of God's plan.

 

I wish we could all have John's attitude of humility and willing service to whatever God called him. Jesus said of him, no one greater has ever been born.

 

PONDER:

1. Am I okay with being second fiddle, even when it seems like I started something that grew large and another was applauded?
2. Am I okay with not being noticed at events?
3. I hope the answer to the above two questions is, absolutely!

 

PRAYER: Father, this is something I will be working on for the rest of my life, less of me, more of others and God. Give me grace to be humble like John the Baptist and also like Moses.

QT 10/26/2026 John 3:22–26, The truth is out there

John 3:22–26 (ESV) —

22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. 23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized 24 (for John had not yet been put in prison).

25 Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.”

 

NOTE: There is some debate regarding the sequence of events here in John's gospel. John follows a typical Jewish philosophy of organizing events to make a point, even if they are not chronological. This is common in "eastern" cultures.  Most of the "west" follows a Greek formula that is chronological. And John makes it clear, that he understood the chronology, even by his parenthetical insert of the note on John's imprisonment. In fact, one of the arguments for historicity is that stories are not exactly similar among the gospels. The leaders did not sit down and discuss how the story would be made up, because it was real. The same thing happens today when eyewitnesses give what appear to be conflicting stories of a particular event, like a car accident. An investigator once told me that when stories match exactly, it means they are lying.

 

Despite John the Baptist's testimony already regarding Jesus, John (the Apostle) brings him back into the story a second time. And we see some jealousy among his disciples because more people are following Jesus now. This sounds very much like what most hate about religion, when people are trying to build their numbers or create fame in a preacher's name. But because, this is about the real Son of God, John the Baptist will very clear state that Jesus must become more and he must become less.

 

PONDER:

1. Do you still question the validity of the scriptures?
2. Do you still try to convince yourself that the stories in the bible cannot be true?

 

PRAYER: Father, we actually use quite absurd arguments in denying truth because we don't want to hear truth. If we opened our heart to the truth we would need to repent and call you our Lord and God. But we like being our own gods too much. Open our eyes and our heart, help us to see truth.

QT 10/23/2026 John 3:16–21, Religiosity is not belief

John 3:16–21 (ESV) —

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

 

NOTE: This opening verse is so familiar that sometimes I separate it from the context of the discussion with Nicodemus about the need to be born again and why that is similar to the unseen wind blowing the leaves. As John, the disciple, makes very clear in this book and in his letters, belief in Jesus is what causes the new birth. Major changes occur upon belief, one is a promise of eternal life, the second is no condemnation for the person who believes. Coming into the light exposes our sin, so that we can see what we never in full what the darkness tries to hide. This new birth is life-changing.

 

What about the person who never experienced the life changing effect of a new birth? What about the person who "all his life" has been a Christian. I tend to doubt the "all the life" Christian, since it does not fit with the new birth Jesus described. But what if the new birth occurred at a very young age? There is a way to make sure. Make it an adult decision, not a decision your parents made for you. What about the person who had a gradual conversion? I don't know, but I also wonder if the person has truly experienced the new birth. What about Nicodemus, religious, a rabbi, and only late in life meeting Jesus? If you are counting on good works or religiosity as your argument for your belief, I would seriously reevaluate life.

 

PONDER:

1. Have I been born again?
2. Have I experienced a new birth?
3. Is my relationship with God a twice a week thing or an everyday commitment to his word?

 

PRAYER: Father, thank you for rescuing me from a life of religion and revealing the new life to me. I never knew you and I didn't even know it. Today I see so much more clearly truth. I pray to make a positive impact on those around me.

QT 10/22/2026 John 3:9-15, Born again is the path to true spirituality

Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

(John 3:9–15, ESV)

QT 10/21/2026 John 3:1–8, Jesus puzzles the religious seekers

John 3:1–8 (ESV) —

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

 

NOTE: To me, the most interesting aspect of Nicodemus is that he came at night. Already, the religious leaders were not accepting Jesus, probably because of what happened at the temple. But, some rabbis and Pharisees probably recognized the corrupt practices, even though they weren't willing to stand up against it. Your career and opportunity for higher position was probably dependent upon holding the party line.

 

Jesus didn't make it easy on Nicodemus. Rather than giving a defense of his actions, he puzzles him with a statement of the need to be born again. If he had said Gentiles must be born again, Nicodemus might have understood. But to say a person needs to be born again to enter God's kingdom throws Jews in the bucket of people outside God's kingdom.

 

Additionally, Jesus describes the new birth with a metaphor of wind. You see the change caused by the wind, but you don't see the wind or where it came from, so it is with spiritual rebirth. You see a change in the person's life, but you don't see the Holy Spirit who is making those changes.

 

PONDER:

1. Has your life been changed by a rebirth?
2. Are you on the outside or inside the kingdom?

 

PRAYER: Father, I know what Jesus meant because I have experienced that change long before I even knew there was a phrase, born again. I saw my life change after I put my trust in you. I saw that desire for you word grow in my heart. I saw everything change because of faith in you.

QT 10/20/2026 John 2:12–25, Understanding our desperate need

John 2:12–25 (ESV) —

12 After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.

13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

 

NOTE: The passage is not the most flattering description of humanity. The first part of the story has scoundrels (most likely the priests) selling and making a profit off of religious items. The second part has the religious leaders questioning why he would disrupt these business. In essence they were defending this sham. What is even more interesting is what western readers never notice, they were actually using the court of the Gentiles in the temple to sell their goods. The court was a place of prayer for all people, but now it was a noisy marketplace for people to be ripped off. Yes, Jesus knew what was in man: deceit, greed, selfishness, and a total disregard for God's holiness.

 

There are people today who don't seem themselves that way. They are deluded. They think they are good because they can always find someone worse. But the bible is clear on this point.

 

Romans 3:10–12 (ESV) —

10 as it is written:

“None is righteous, no, not one;

11 no one understands;

no one seeks for God.

12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;

no one does good,

not even one.”

 

Other verses are Ps 14:1-3; Ps 53:1-3; Eccl 7:20; Rom 3:23; Isa 64:6; and Gen 6:5 to name only a few.

 

It only takes one sin to fall short of the glory of God.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I recognize my real sin nature?
2. Do I understand my need for a savior?

 

PRAYER: Father, I need no convincing to realize how far short I fall of your standard. As I age, I appreciate with each passing the year the forgiveness that is found only in Jesus Christ's death on the cross for me. Thank you. Forgive my weakness which surfaces too often.

QT 10/19/2026 John 2:1–11, Convictions versus biblical teaching

John 2:1–11 (ESV) —

1 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. 9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

 

NOTE: Some commentators have tried to argue that the word for drink is non-alcoholic grape juice. That of course is reading into scripture to fit your own prejudices (or opinion). It is clear from the Master of the feast that it was wine, alcoholic wine. It was a very good quality, and it would have been more natural to use that wine first and then use the cheaper version later when people might care less. Alcohol is clearly the underlying thought in these verses. Jesus created alcohol at the feast, but he did not create it to be abused. God created a beautiful world and he did not create it to be abused.

 

In my mind, alcohol is not evil. Drinking to excess is sin as drunkenness is specifically named in other parts of scripture. My point is that we must not read into scripture our own ideas but accept scripture as it reads. One can still have a conviction not to drink any alcohol, but one cannot teach others to have the same conviction. There is great wisdom in staying away from alcohol, because it can go too far without a person realizing. I remember a time having not eaten all day, when I had a drink that came before the meal. I was only halfway through the drink and I felt funny and lightheaded. I have very specific rules to avoid ever getting drunk -- my father was an alcoholic. But this was the first time, one glass of a drink, on an empty stomach, clearly impacted my body in a negative way.

 

So we must be careful with alcohol, but denying alcohol is a conviction, not a teaching of scripture.

 

PONDER:

1. What are your convictions on alcohol, and how do you protect your body from abusing alcohol?

 

PRAYER: Father, It is amazing that Jesus could create a beautiful wine out of water almost instantaneously. And it is interesting that Jesus cared enough about the wedding celebration that he involved himself in the couple's time of great joy. Jesus is so different from our versions of a religious person. Thank you for joy and caring for other people's joy.

QT 10/16/2026 John 1:43–51, What is our response to the Gospel? Or do we have a response?

John 1:43–51 (ESV) —

43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

 

NOTE: There is a lot of finding and being found expressed in these verses. But the real question is, who really finds who? God is the one who ultimately finds us, and then it is up to us to believe and receive Jesus. For some reason, it is very popular today to take a strong Calvinistic approach to life (i.e., God is completely sovereign). Possibly, at least in America, it is a backlash against our strong individual freedom culture, which I agree is very dangerous. But, I think the pendulum has swung too far. God does choose us, but we also respond in belief. The gospel clearly says both. In fact, this discussion of finding and arguing what we see (in Nathaniel's interaction with Jesus), has no place in a strong Calvinistic approach to scripture. Why do we care what Jesus saw beforehand or why Jesus questions Nathaniel, "do you believe?" It really is a meaningless story unless we believe in God's sovereignty and man's free will. From our understanding in our puny little brains, it might not make sense (sovereignty and free will), but whoever argued that we should completely understand God's infinite mind?

 

PONDER:

1. The real question, however worded, is, have you found Jesus yet? All of life hinges on the answer.

 

PRAYER: Father, years ago, I came to faith through the "I found it" campaign. Maybe today, people would say "God found me." But you Lord, never lost me. You have been there from the beginning working in my life so that I could hear and respond to the good news. If it was all predestined, hearing doesn't seem very important. I heard the gospel in a Catholic church and did not respond. But I saw it in a man who said that he knew God in the same way I knew my girlfriend, and it was at that moment that I realized I wanted what he had, a relationship with Jesus.