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Author Interview – Aisha Darwesh
How long have you been going to CLC?I’ve been going to CLC since August 2011 (and have loved every minute of it!). What do you enjoy the most about writing for CLC Starter?What I enjoy most about writing for CLC Starter is getting the opportunity to really marinate in the verses I’m writing about. It’s…
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John 12:9-11
By Carrie McFarland The Word “The large crowd of the Jews then learned that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead. But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also; because on account of him many of the…
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John 12:3-8
By Scott Fiddler The WordJohn 12:3-83 Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.4 But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him,…
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John 12:1-3
By Ji Yun I. The Word “1 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. 2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. 3…
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Introduction – Journey to the Cross
Within our society, it is easy to find ourselves too busy to take a deep breath and sit still. We find it difficult to spend time in God’s Word and to bask in His presence. Sometimes, we may need something to slow us down as we are going too fast in our daily lives. In…
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Our Story Your Story
By Scott Fiddler “One generation commends your works to another; They tell of your mighty acts.” Psalm 145:4 Introduction Pastor Chris gave an excellent summary of the history of City Life Church on Sunday, but there is so much one can say in thirty minutes. Ji asked if I could fill in some gaps as someone who…
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The Plot of the Jews
By Jason Scherzer I. The Word: John 11:53-57 (ESV) 53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death. 54 Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples. 55…
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Death to Life
By Aisha Darwesh I. The Word: John 11:45-52 45-48 That was a turnaround for many of the Jews who were with Mary. They saw what Jesus did, and believed in him. But some went back to the Pharisees and told on Jesus. The high priests and Pharisees called a meeting of the Jewish ruling body.…
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Mourning to Mayhem
Mayhem to Miracle By Blesson Selvanesan The Word: 38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has…
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He Sees You
By Joslyn Jayaram John 11:28-37 28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha…
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Jesus, Our Hope
By Stefan Johnsson John 11:17-27 (NIV) Jesus Comforts the Sisters of Lazarus 17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles[a] from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss…
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Answered Prayers
By Scott Fiddler The Word: John 11:1-16 1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3 So the sisters sent word to…
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Significance of John the Baptist
By Jason Scherzer The Word: John 10:40-42 (ESV) 40 He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. 41 And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” 42 And many…
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Standing on His Word
By Aisha Darwesh The Word: John 10:31-39 31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we…
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Can You Handle the Truth?
By Blesson Selvanesan The Word: John 10:22-30 (ESV) 22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are…
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His Authority to Give
Joslyn Jayaram John 10:17-21 English Standard Version (ESV) 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have…
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Good and Perfect Shepherd
By Stefan Johnsson John 10:7-16 (NIV) 7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They…
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Jesus, the Shepherd
By Scott Fiddler The Word: John 10:1-6 1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. 2 “But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep.…
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Blindness
By Jason Scherzer The Word: John 9:39-41 Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin;…
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How God Sees Us
By Aisha Darwesh The Word: John 9:35-38 35Jesus heard that they had put him out [of the synagogue], and finding him, He asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36He answered, “Who is He, Sir? Tell me so that I may believe in Him.” 37Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him,…
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Mocking a Miracle
By Blesson Selvanesan The Word: 26 They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” 28 And they reviled him, saying,…
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What’s Your Story?
By Joslyn Jayaram 18 The Jews[a] did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is…
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Spiritual Blindness
By Stefan Johnsson John 9:13-17 (NIV) The Pharisees Investigate the Healing 13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight.…
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Jesus, the Sent One
By Scott Fiddler The Word: John 9:1-12 1 As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. 2And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” 3Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that…
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I AM
By Jason Scherzer John 8:48-59 48 The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One…
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What do you think about Jesus?
By Aisha Darwesh The Word: John 8:39-47 (The Passion Translation) 39 “What do mean?” they replied. “Abraham is our father!” Jesus said, “If you are really Abraham’s sons, then you would follow in the steps of Abraham. 40 I’ve only told you the truth that I’ve heard in my Father’s presence, but now you are…
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Freedom in Knowing the Truth
By Blesson Selvanesan The Word: 31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How…
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Who’s Your Rabbi?
By Joslyn Jayaram The Word: John 8:21-30 21 So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” 22 So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” 23 He said to them, “You are from below; I…
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Refuse to See the Light
By Stefan Johnsson John 8:12-20 (NIV) Dispute Over Jesus’ Testimony 12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness;…
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Was It Perfect Set Up?
The Word: John 8:1-11 1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. 3The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in…
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Yes! Jonah!
1. The Word John 7:45-53 45 The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” 46 The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!” 47 The Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? 48 Have any of the authorities or the…
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The Eternal Fountain
The Word: John 7:37-44 37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant…
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Jesus Persecuted
By Blesson Selvanesan The Word: John 7:32-36 32 The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest him. 33 Jesus then said, “I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. 34 You will seek me and you…
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Do You Know Him?
By Joslyn Jayaram John 7:25-31 25 Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? 26 And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? 27 But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one…
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Purpose of the Law
By Stefan Johnsson John 7:10-24 (NIV) 10 However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. 11 Now at the festival the Jewish leaders were watching for Jesus and asking, “Where is he?” 12 Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is…
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Let’s Talk About Stress
By Scott Fiddler The Word: John 7:1-9 1After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him. 2Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was near. 3Therefore His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go into Judea,…
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Trust and Dependence
By Jason Scherzer The Word: John 6:60-70 60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to…
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Spiritual Hunger
By Aisha Darwesh The Word: John 6:41-59 (ESV) 41 So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”…
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Jesus, Greater than Moses
By Blesson Selvanesan The Word: 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”…
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Why Do You Believe?
By Joslyn Jayaram John 6:22-31 22 On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23 Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where…
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The Greater Plan
By Stefan Johnsson John 6:15-21 (NIV) 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. 16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now…
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Jesus, the Problem Solver
By Scott Fiddler The Word: John 6:1-14 1After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias). 2A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs which He was performing on those who were sick. 3Then Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down…
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Eternal Life
By Jason Scherzer The Word: John 5:39-47 39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. 41 I do not receive glory from people. 42 But I know…
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Hopelessness
By Aisha Darwesh The Word: John 5:32-38 (ESV) 32There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. 33You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these…
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Death, Resurrection, and Judgement
By Blesson Selvanesan The Word 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…
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By Joslyn Jayaram Jesus Is Equal with God 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. The Authority of the Son 19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do…
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What He Really Meant Was…
By Stefan Johnsson John 5:10-17 (NIV) 10 and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.” 11 But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ” 12 So they…
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What’s Your Problem?
By Scott Fiddler The Word: John 5:1-9 1 After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticoes. 3In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind,…
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Jesus Had To Be There
By Jason Scherzer The Word: John 4:46-50 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,…
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Testimonies Matter
By Aisha Darwesh The Word: John 4:39-45 39So there were many from the Samaritan village who became believers in Jesus because of the woman’s testimony: “He told me everything I ever did!” 40Then they begged Jesus to stay with them, so he stayed there for two days, 41resulting in many more coming to faith in…
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Jesus Christ the Evangelist
By Blesson Selvanesan The Word: John 4:27-38 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,…
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By Joslyn Jayaram The Word: John 4:15-26 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,…
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Living Water
By Stefan Johnsson John 4:10-14 (NIV) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” 11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is…
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Jesus, the Evangelist
By Scott Fiddler The Word: John 4:1-9 1Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2(although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were), 3He left Judea and went away again into Galilee. 4And He had to pass through Samaria. 5So He…
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“He must increase, but I must…”
By Jason Scherzer The Word John 3:27-36 (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…
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How about John the Baptist?
By Aisha Darwesh The Word: John 3:22-26 22 Then Jesus and his disciples went out for a length of time into the Judean countryside where they baptized the people. 23 At this time John was still baptizing people at Aenon, near Salim, where there was plenty of water. And the people kept coming for John…
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Light versus Darkness
By Blesson Selvanesan The Word: John 3:18-21 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…
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John 3:16
By Joslyn Jayaram John 3:16-17 New International Version (NIV) 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Wow, I have the amazing honor…
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Son of Man
By Stefan Johnsson John 3: 9-15 9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. 10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our…
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On Evangelism and Soteriology
By Scott Fiddler The Word: John 3:1-3 1Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; 2this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do…
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Have You Ever Wonder About Those Signs?
By Jason Scherzer What are Signs? The Word John 4:46-50 (NASB) 46 Therefore He came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and was imploring Him to come down and…
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God’s Heart for Human Hearts
By Aisha Darwesh The Word: John 2:23-25 (TPT) 23 While Jesus was at the Passover Feast , the number of his followers began to grow, and many gave their allegiance to him because of all the miraculous signs they had seen him doing! 24 But Jesus did not yet entrust himself to them, because he…
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The Three Day Sign
By Blesson Selvanesan The Word: John 2:18-21 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…
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By Joslyn Jayaram I. The Word: John 2:13-17 English Standard Version (ESV) Jesus Cleanses the Temple 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…
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Good Wine
By Stefan Johnsson John 2:9-12 (ESV) 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,…
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The Third Day
By Scott Fiddler The Word: John 2:1-8 1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; 2and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus *said to Him, “They have no wine.” 4And…
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The Master’s Plan
By Jason Scherzer The Word: John 1:43-51 (NKJV) Philip and Nathanael 43 The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and 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…
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The Lamb of God
By Aisha Darwesh The Word: John 1:29-42 Behold, the Lamb of God 29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because…
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The voice for The WORD
By Blesson C Selvanesan The Word: John 1:19-28 19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I…
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The Word
By Joslyn Jayaram The Word Becomes Flesh 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He…
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The New Birthright
By Stefan Johnsson John 1:6-13 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9 The true light, which gives…
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“In the Beginning”
By Ji Yun ”In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light…
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Radio Silence
By Ji Yun Silence. Darkness. Hopelessness. Disappointment. Confusion. Feast of Passover. Sabbath. Jesus has been crucified and buried in the tomb, large stone was placed in front of the tomb, and Roman soldiers were appointed to guard the tomb. In this joyous day of celebration where Jews were celebrating the Passover feast, Jesus’ disciples and…
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Crushed
By Aisha Darwesh The Word: But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The punishment for our peace was on Him, And by His wounds we are healed. –Isaiah 53:5 During this Passover/Passion week, I’ve been given this unique opportunity to share from my perspective: “What does the cross mean…
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The Night of Last Supper/Passover Meal
By Ji Yun Thursday is the day that Jesus and His disciples partook the Passover Meal. Why understanding the Passover, one of the feasts that ordained by God to Israelites, is critical to understand why Jesus would partake this meal before he was crucified and killed. According to the Gospel of John, one of the…
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The Third Day
The Third day It was during a Thursday night team meeting that the dreadful thing happened. The disciples knew something was going to happen but had no idea what to expect. Everything seemed beyond imagination and happened so quickly. They had no idea what was about to happen. Judas Iscariot already planned what to do…
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The Cross Means Everything.
By Stefan Johnsson What Does the Cross Mean for Me? I can tell you first and foremost that the cross is more than a symbol. Though, many in our society view it as only this. People tattoo crosses on their body, wear crosses around their necks, and pray to crosses of various sizes and shapes.…
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What Does Easter Means To Me? To a Trial Lawyer?
By Scott Fiddler This is Easter week. If you are wondering what the big deal about Easter is you are probably not alone. As Easter has become secularized and commercialized, particularly in America, the true meaning of Easter has become obscured. But Easter is my favorite day of the year, more special and meaningful for…
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Repentance: More Than A Religious Term.
By Heather Mattingly Repentance & Baptism What is the first picture that comes to your mind when you hear the word repentance? And what is the first picture that comes to your mind when you hear the word baptism? Our Every Nation Purple Book explains that the connotation of these words is generally negative –…
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Do You Know What You Are Saying?
By Stefan Johnsson Jesus is LORD. Many of us use this phrase with frequency and we do not realize the implications of what we say. What does being Lord refer to? Merriam-Webster defines lord as: “a ruler by hereditary right or preeminence to whom service and obedience are due.” To whom service and obedience are…
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Way to Heaven
By Scott Fiddler The Word: Ephesians 2:8-9 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. On Salvation It’s what I thought before I became a Christian, and it is…
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