John 13:10 

“He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean;…”

Living in Israel at the time of Christ, it was impossible to walk the streets of Jerusalem without getting dirty. Open-toed sandals in a desert climate made for dirty streets and dirty feet. One solution for was the custom of foot washing. Whenever a guest entered a home, the host was responsible for ensuring that the feet of the guest were washed. When Jesus gathered with the disciples for the Passover meal, he took on the role of the host, and began to wash their feet. As expected, Peter had something to say about the actions of Jesus. First he resisted, to which Jesus explained,

“If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”

In response Peter replied,

“Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”

To which…

Deuteronomy 10:1-2

​ “At that time the Lord said to me, ‘Hew for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and come up to Me on the mountain and make yourself an ark of wood. And I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke; and you shall put them in the ark.’”

Every generation likes to think of themselves as more advanced than the one before them. I recall one of my children, when he was about four, asking what life was like back when things were in black and white. He really thought color was only seen by his generation and the rest of us had grown up in the gray hues of a silent movie. This vantage point on life may be the force behind people thinking that the Bible is antiquated. They might say, “while the Bible might…

Deuteronomy 9:1
“Hear, O Israel: You are to cross over the Jordan today, and go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourself, cities great and fortified up to heaven”

Imagine being on a team that has lost most of its games. Time after time, no matter who your opponent was, you figured out a way to lose. Now, imagine your team is about to face the best team in the league. How confident do you think you would be as the coach begins his pep talk in the locker room?

Israel’s 40 year journey through the wilderness has been marked with loss after devastating loss. From the very beginning they lived with fear, failure and defeat. They complained at the lack of resources, lusted for the fantasy life of Egypt, committed heinous sins with the golden calf and the women of Moab, lived in unbelief, refusing to enter…

John 12:11 

“On account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.”

The word “account” means “by reason of”. It means, Lazarus was the reason many put their trust in Christ. His life and his experiences with Christ were having a magnetic effect; drawing others to consider Christ for themselves.

We use the word account in another way. We refer to our bank account. At the end of every month we receive a statement reminding us of both deposits and withdrawals. Those statements reveal a lot to us about the way we live, and the things that are most important to us. In some ways, our life is like a financial statement. At the end of the month we can look back and see how we have spent our time.

Lazarus was a man who spent his time following Jesus. As a result, his life became…

Deuteronomy 7:17-18
“If you should say in your heart, ‘These nations are greater than I; how can I dispossess them? ’— you shall not be afraid of them, but you shall remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt . . .”

We often feel like the struggles of our flesh are too great to ever overcome. Since we have been fighting the same battles our entire Christian life, it is easy to become discouraged, and even to allow things that should be removed to remain. Knowing that this would be the case, Moses instructed Israel what to do when they became overwhelmed by the magnitude of the battles they were facing.

“…remember well what the Lord your God did…”

They are instructed to look back at the things God accomplished for them in the past. Notice he writes, “remember well.” It is essential…

John 11:3

“Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”

One of the great struggles of life is how to reconcile a loving God with the difficulties of life. Every day, all over the world, people are confronted with tragedies. Difficulties hit like a storm and reap havoc on their lives. It is not until we find ourself facing one of these trying times, that we are undone by it. It is at that point, we begin to ask, “How could a loving God allow my brother to suffer like that?” or “If God loved me, He would not have taken him from me.”

There is no question we face difficulties, and the illness or loss of a loved one is one of the greatest trials we will ever face. However, these trials are not without purpose. Notice the response of Jesus to the situation His loved ones were facing,

Deuteronomy 5:22
“…And He wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me.”

The commandments of God were given to the people of God, so they had a standard by which to govern themselves. These laws were given the highest place of honor in the nation. They were placed within the Ark of the Covenant, in the Holiest place within the Tabernacle. Years later, when the Tabernacle was replaced with Solomon’s Temple, the only articles remaining in the Ark were the two stone tablets containing the commands of God. We need to understand, God’s design for His people was that He be at the center of their personal, and their national lives. The center of the nation was the Temple, the center of the Temple was the Ark, and the center of the Ark was the Word. The people of God must always be governed by the…

John 10:21“Others said, ‘These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?’”

Those struggling to determine if Jesus is truly the Son of God and Savior of man, are influenced by both His words, and the lives of those who believe in Him. Certainly, the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation, but the believer is the light of the world casting light upon the Gospel of God. Jesus exhorts us to let our let shine before men, that they may see our good works and glorify God. (Matthew 5:16)

It has been my experience that people are most often drawn to the Lord by the lives of others. One family member, co-worker, or friend influences another, and that influence creates a willingness to listen to the Word of God. The more we allow Jesus to impact…

Deuteronomy 4:6
“Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’”

Life is a lot like a journey on a road we have never traveled before. We often face forks in the road without clear signage, and are left to do our best to make a good decision. If there is one thing we need in life, it is wisdom. Webster’s dictionary defines wisdom as “the ability to discern” and “good sense.” We might best understand it as, “knowing what to do.” In life, we often face challenges we do not have answers for, and we need wisdom.

Naturally speaking, wisdom comes from personal experience or the experience of others. If I touch a hot stove and burn my finger I…