February 9, 2024
February 9, 2024
Read Exodus 26-28, Psalm 40
When has there been a time when you have been on shaky ground? I’m not referring to an earthquake but rather a time when things in your life were not as solid as you would have liked them to be. Maybe it was a time of transition in your life when things were changing around you. Maybe your shaky ground was centered around a relationship with someone that brought turmoil into your life. None of us like to be in these places in our lives, but being human means having times in our lives when things are shaky.
Psalm 40 is a psalm of David where we could identify with him being on some shaky ground. David starts the psalm with, “I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand” vv. 1-2. David knew that the only firm place for him was with the Lord. This is true for us today. There might be things that temporarily seem like sure ground, but they will not last and give us the rock on which to stand. How many people think by achieving financial success, the right job, power or fame, or the right relationship will solve all their problems. All we have to do is look to those that have reached these goals to see that they are still living in turmoil and struggling with circumstances just like we all do.
David saw that his relationship with God brought him the ultimate joy in his life. “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD. 4 Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods” vv. 3-4. I read a survey not to long ago that said the “nones” are growing. The “nones” are those who do not identify with any religious group. They typically are atheistic or agnostic about many things in life. 29 percent of America claims to be a “none” according to this 2023 survey. Along with the beliefs of this worldview comes a natural order of events. Our beliefs dictate our actions. If I believe there is no God, I am forced to take the view that I am a cosmic accident, created with no purpose. The only purpose that I can grab hold of is the one I create for myself. It’s no wonder so many in the two youngest generations say that struggle with mental illnesses and according to a 2023 Barna survey 75 percent of Gen Z say that they have no purpose in life.
I just want to highly encourage you to hold on to the rock of faith in Christ in your life. If you are checking into who Jesus is and what he taught I hope that you know that you can reach out to me and ask any questions.
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Posted by John Weldon
February 8, 2024
February 8, 2024
Read Exodus 23-25, Psalm 39
Justice is a word that is added to a lot of other words in our culture today. Climate justice, trans justice, reproductive justice, racial justice, and on and on. Do people think by simply adding this word it makes something right or “just?” I heard a pastor say once that “anytime you add another word in front of justice you are perverting justice in some sense.” Justice should be the right thing to do regardless of any circumstances of a particular subject or area. In Exodus 23 we see just how independent justice is from everything else. Justice is independent of; popular opinion – “do not follow the crowd” v.2, economic status – “do not show favoritism to a poor man in his lawsuit.” v. 3, If you don’t like them – “If you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to take it back to him.” v. 4, If they don’t like you – “someone who hates you” v. 5, Any personal benefits – “Do not accept a bribe” v. 8, citizenship – “Do not oppress an alien” v. 9. Justice is dependent on God and his nature.
In Exodus 24 God renews the covenant that He made with Israel (Exodus 19) but this time it is just Moses, a couple of key leaders, and the 70 elders that represent the families of Israel. God reminds them all to carefully pay attention to his law and to follow it closely. He warns them not to worship other gods, participate in their religious practices, and not to make any covenants with the other gods or nations. The people all agree and reply “we will do this!” God then calls Moses up the mountain to receive the stone tablets with the law. What I find fascinating is that Moses goes up the mountain and the Scripture says, “When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, 16 and the glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from within the cloud” vv. 15-16. Moses waited for six days for God to speak. Finally on the seventh day the Lord speaks to Moses. I wonder how impatient Moses was during those six days? We live in such a microwave society today, if we were Moses, would we have turned around and walked back down after a few short hours? When God gives us instructions, we must patiently wait on him for when he will take action.
Psalm 39 is a psalm that has a lot to do with our mouth and our words. David records how hard it was to keep his mouth from speaking in a sinful manner. He knows it is the just thing to do, but he finds it hard to hold in his flesh. “But when I was silent and still, not even saying anything good, my anguish increased” v. 2. In the end of the psalm David finds that he can take his words and direct them toward the Lord. “Hear my prayer, O LORD, listen to my cry for help; be not deaf to my weeping” v. 12 Instead of crying out against the wicked, David will cry out to the Lord and call for help. It was a choice that David made with his words. We have the same choice today. Which will you choose?
What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stand out to you?
Add your thoughts below.
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Posted by John Weldon
February 7, 2024
February 7, 2024
Read Exodus 20-22, Psalm 38
Everyone has a top ten list. David Letterman, YouTubers, every blogger or writer known to man has probably composed a top ten list about something in their lifetime. God has a top ten list too. In Exodus 20 we read the Ten Commandments that God gave to Moses on Mount Horeb. They are often broken down between Commandments toward God (1-4) and then Commandments toward other people (5-10). God gave these basic ten commandments to Israel for them to live by. It is for the good of themselves and for those around them. Because these might be familiar to you, I encourage you to read them slowly and notice things that maybe you thought were something else. For example, many people say “you should not lie” but the command is actually “you shall not bear a false witness” which involves lying but is slightly different. Others will say “The Bible says not to kill” but it is really more accurate to say, “You shall not murder.” All but one (the Sabbath) of the ten commandments are repeated and emphasized in the New Testament.
Exodus 21-22 are other laws that flow out of the ten above. I will warn you. Several of these laws in Exodus 21-22 can sound harsh and cause many questions to even the most learned pastors. My advice is to read slowly, read more than just one verse when you come across a sentence that you might struggle with. Many time the Bible will iron out the rough spots for you if you keep on reading. The subjects of servants, injuring a pregnant woman, selling your daughter as a servant are in these passages. It’s easy for the world to grab a verse and make it into something that the Bible doesn’t intent. My suggestion, talk to someone who has spend time looking at this or find a book on these passages and they will help you understand them without calling into question the character of God or His Law.
One factor in reading God’s law is that it brings conviction to us. It helps us know when we need to seek forgiveness and when we need to change our behavior or speech. That’s what we find when we read Psalm 38. David has a humble attitude asking God not to rebuke him in his anger. David has a keen awareness of his sin and just how much it affects his own life. Do we avoid God’s Word because it convicts us or do we have a attitude of running toward God’s Word so that we can be conformed to what God desires for us to be?
What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes, stand out to you? What questions do you have about some of the hard verses that are in these chapters? Add your thoughts or questions below. I will be glad to give you some thoughts if you have questions.
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Posted by John Weldon
February 6, 2024
February 6, 2024
Read Exodus 17-19, Psalm 37
Ever have a time when you need to get away from something? Maybe it’s a situation or maybe it’s a person(s). It might be both! In chapter 17 you will read about Moses who fielded complaints from the people. God tells him to walk on ahead of the people, take some elders (leaders) with him, and take his staff with him. God was up to something. He was going to have Moses tap the rock and bring forth some water to provide for the people. Maybe this would stop their complaining for a little while. I bet Moses enjoyed the time away from everyone else. Maybe he enjoyed the silence or lack of complaints. We all do it from time to time. I am guilty!
Ever think about what life would be like if there were no complaints? If no one complained then that might mean we got everything we wanted, had all our needs met, and didn’t lack anything. Sounds a lot like Heaven. Don’t miss something in this chapter. Read verse 1 slowly. “The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.” So, God led Israel place to place, where He wanted them to go. And the place that God led them was a location with no water. Hmm… why would God do that? Maybe, it was so that we would turn to Him and seek his help for our needs. Do you think that maybe God wouldn’t give us everything we need, or think we need, so that we might rely on Him? I do.
Exodus 18 is one of my favorite chapters in Exodus. Here we meet Jethro! Jethro is Moses’s father-in-law. Jethro comes for a visit and observes how Moses is busy sunup to sundown acting as judge before the people. Jethro tells Moses, “What you are doing is not good” v. 17. Moses had a choice here. He could say, “Hey Jethro! God put me in charge of these 2 million whining people. I get to make the decisions here.” Or Moses could do what he did in the Scripture passage. He listened to his father-in-law and took his advice. Moses wasn’t threatened by Jethro or felt the need to go on a power trip. When he listened, everyone benefited from it. We may find ourselves in positions of leadership from time to time, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t stop and hear people out when they come to us. A wise leader surrounds himself with people that are smarter than themselves. They are threatened by someone else’s ideas or skills.
Psalm 37 is a great psalm that contains many song lyrics from modern Christian music, and it is encouraging to read. The psalm encourages us to wait and trust in the Lord no matter what others, especially the wicked may be doing. Face it, we live in a world where it’s easy to think that evil is winning. David had this same mentality, but it was 3,500 years ago. Things do not really change much do they?
As I read this psalm, I was reminded of the childish sayings I said as a kid to the other kids we got in verbal battles of name-calling. “I’m rubber, you’re glue, bounces off me and sticks to you!” We might have said the silly things like this to push back and let the other person knew we weren’t fazed by their trash talk. God is not worried about the evil that is done by the wicked, He knows their day is coming. “But the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming” v. 13. Verses 14-15 say, “The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. 15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.”
What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stand out to you? Is there one verse that just hits you with a dose of truth serum as you read? Add your thoughts below.
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Posted by John Weldon
February 4, 2024
February 4, 2024
Read Exodus 11-13, Psalm 35
What traditions do you enjoy? Are there special things you do during the holiday season or throughout the year that you look forward to participating in? What are some traditions you might take part in and not know exactly why you do them? I heard a story about a family tradition where the children passed down a recipe for a dish that instructed them to cut the end of the roast off. This was repeated over several generations until someone asked why they cut the end of the roast off. It was discovered that the originator of the family recipe did this because they didn’t have a big enough pan to roast the meat!
In Genesis 11-13 we have the instructions from God about the final plague that God would send on Egypt. Unlike all the others, this one would involve much preparation from Israel in order for them to avoid its consequences. The plague of the first born was going to be so impacting that it would cause Pharaoh to release Israel from 430 years of slavery. The Passover would be a special time that Israel would observe each year.
The instructions for observing the Passover were very detailed and for good reason. The Jews were to pass on this remembrance to their children going forward. It would have even greater significance when Jesus would come as “The lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). They are to use a year-old male lamb without defect. They are to roast it at Twilight. Consume all of it. – “head, legs, and inner parts” v. 9 Why no leftovers? – The Messiah was one body broken for all. Passover would be replaced by the last supper (See Matthew 26:26-29). The blood was to be put on the sides and tops of the door frames of the homes. They are to eat it with bitter herbs and Bread without yeast, which would symbolize the haste in which they were to exit Egypt. The manner in how they eat the Passover meal is symbolic. v. 11 “cloak tucked into your belt,” “sandals on your feet,” and “staff in your hand.” These are again signs of a quick exit for Israel.
What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stick out to you? Write your thoughts below.
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Posted by John Weldon
February 3, 2024
February 3, 2024
Read Exodus 8-10, Psalm 34
Has the Lord ever gotten your attention with something that you have seen or experienced? Maybe it was a close call with a vehicle, a poignant conversation that hit you right between the eyes, or maybe you were caught in a sin but given some grace to repent and change. In Exodus 8-10 we find God trying to accomplish something similar with Pharaoh with the plagues. God told Moses to go before Pharaoh and give him a chance to let the Israelites go or he would bring about plagues that Egypt would face. God knew what it would ultimately take, Pharaoh losing his own first born. He told Moses this ahead of time. (Exodus 4:23) Back and forth Moses and Pharaoh would go, each time Pharaoh would change his mind and not allow the Israelites to leave. Several of the plagues seem to be a direct attack on an Egyptian god, but not all ten plagues specifically describe an Egyptian god as they were known. God seemed to be sending Pharaoh a message I am greater than the gods in Egypt that you worship. Do you that God would do something today to get your attention like he did Pharaoh? Could it be when we are out of our relationship or walk with God that He would try to get our attention and bring us back under his will? Take your time as you read through the chapters. Some of the plagues the Egyptian magicians could replicate, some they could not. Some of the plagues affected all of Egypt and some only affected the Egyptians and God protected the Israelites from harm. One interesting fact that stands out to me is when Moses asks Pharaoh when he would like the frogs to go away. Pharaoh’s response is “tomorrow” v. 8:10. Why not right now or yesterday? Had Pharaoh become accustom to them or was he just willing to put up with them? It makes me wonder. What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stand out to you?
Add your thoughts below.
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Posted by John Weldon
February 2, 2024
February 2, 2024
Read Exodus 5-7, Psalm 33
Have you ever heard a child make this exclamation before? “You’re not the boss of me!” They may have referred it to another adult, a teacher, or a person of authority over them. In Exodus 5-7 we have a similar attitude coming from Pharaoh. God tells Moses to speak to Pharaoh. You know… “Let my people go….” Naturally, Pharaoh responds “Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go” v. 2. Pharaoh may not have heard of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, so he consequentially had no desire to listen or obey him either. We can find the same mentality today among people. They neither know or fear the Lord and their behaviors and speech reflect this attitude. Honestly, who would blame them? When my kids were growing up, sometimes they would come home from school and talk about something that someone did to them or their friend. I would try to remind them that most likely they were not Christians or faithfully living out God’s design for their life. The phrase, “non-Christians will do what they do or just comes natural to themselves” was often repeated. We might not live in a polytheistic culture today in America but that doesn’t mean that people don’t have their gods. The gods just change from Ra, Chemosh, and Molech to the gods of self, materialism, and other things we worship and deem important. The ultimate issue of a god is who has the authority over my life and determines how I live my life. Some might have one god they worship; others might have a pantheon of gods they have amassed for themselves. Christians often use the phrase “Savior and Lord” when referring to Jesus. We have Jesus as our Savior, but is he also our Lord? Does Jesus have authority, lordship, or is he our “boss?” Not just in one or two areas of our lives, Jesus commands us to love God with our “whole heart” (Mark 12:30-31). What areas of your life do you struggle to relinquish control to the Lord?
Psalm 33 is a beautiful psalm that has many familiar phrases in it. It praises the Lord for his creation, his righteousness and just actions. Verse 12 says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.” The psalmist recognizes the “blessing” that comes from allowing God to lead and be our boss. When many people see the word “blessing” they might be tempted to jump to an idea of finances or material goods. That might be one way to look at it, but “blessing” is really about an attitude of happiness or joy. Some translations of the Bible capture this by says “Happy is…” rather than blessed. When we recognize God as the ultimate authority in our lives, he will bring us blessings.
What other words, themes, or phrases stand out to you as you read these chapters? Add your thoughts below.
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Posted by John Weldon
January 19, 2024
January 19, 2024
Read Genesis 19, Psalm 19, John 19
Genesis 19 is the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. As soon as Lot finds the two angels entering the city in the evening, he pleads with them to stay with him and not in the middle of the city. He likely knows how wicked “all the men from every part of the city” v. 4 were. Lot still an outsider to the people of Sodom tries to offer hospitality, and ultimately protection for the two guests. How do we as Christians look out for people today? How can we offer protection or safety to others in a time of need?
The reason for the destruction of the city has been well known for thousands of years. We even have Jewish commentary that speaks about the nature of the homosexuality in this chapter. Some Revisionists and LGBTQ affirming people will try to say that “knowing” the two angels was not about having sex with them, but this doesn’t fit the context. Especially when Lot offers his daughters to the men who “who have not known any other man.” The same Hebrew word is used. It clearly could not be to know the men in a non-sexual way because Lot’s daughters were “pledged to marry.”
But what are we to make of Lot’s proposal? “Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof” v. 8. Here are some opinions or interpretations. One, he simply did not care about his own daughter’s safety and lives. Two, he was scared and quickly offered a solution in desperation. Three, he was faced with a moral dilemma and choose the lesser of two evils. Four, Lot’s comments should be taken as sarcastic in a way to shock their conscience and stop their actions. We must remember that Lot does not have the integrity that Abraham has, and His actions are compared to Abraham’s in a number of ways. God did not command Lot to offer his daughters, nor would he. The Bible describes his free will choice and is not a prescription for us to follow in the future.
Psalm 19 is a psalm that highlights the glory of God seen in nature and how it points to a creator. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge” vv. 1-2. In apologetics this is referred to as general revelation. God reveals himself through creation to every single person on the planet. David then goes on to praise God for his Word, He uses the different words like “the Law of the Lord,” “statues,” “precepts,” and “commands.” David sees the benefits of God’s special revelation to us through his Word. David ends the psalm with a prayer, and he asks God to keep him from sinning. “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer” v. 14.
John 19 is the narrative of Jesus crucifixion. I would encourage you to take your time and read through the chapter slowly. Sometimes we think we know things and, in our haste, we may miss the important details. I have heard many Christians debate whether or not they believe Jesus was crucified with no clothes on or very little. Most likely, he had none. This was all a part of the cruelty of the cross. Not only was it a painful way to suffer and die, (The word excruciating comes from the practice of crucifixion), but it was also the public humiliation that Jesus faced from those who passed by. Verses 23-24 describe that the soldiers divided his clothes between them and gambled for the final under garments that were left. This leads me to believe Jesus was put on display in total humiliation. As you read through the story, keep in mind that Jesus endured all that for you and to die for your sins on the cross.
Earlier we discussed the hospitality of Lot in the city of Sodom. Now in John 19 we see Jesus in the lowest point of his earthly life on the cross, but He does something amazing. Something only the Godman could do. He has the desire to hand his mother over to the disciple most believe as John to take care of her and look after her. “When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing near by, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home” vv. 26-27. Most people turn inward when they face pain or difficult circumstances, but Jesus still cared for others. Despite the ups and downs of life, who can you and I look out for and show compassion or hospitality toward?
What else do you see in these chapters? What words or phrases, or themes stick out to you?
Add your comments below.
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Posted by John Weldon
January 17, 2024
January 16, 2024
Read Genesis 16, Psalm 16, John 16
H.G. Wells wrote the Novel “The Invisible Man.” Harry Potter has his cloak of invisibility. And many sci-fi shows like to brandish the power to cloak their spacecrafts to make them invisible. As cool as this might sound, do you ever feel that you are invisible? Maybe you just wish someone would see you. Recognizing you or giving you a little attention. We all might have times in our lives when we feel that way. The good news is that there is a God who sees you.
In Genesis 16, We see an impatient Sarai who has waited 10 years since the time God had promised a son. Sarai hatches the idea that maybe Abram should take her maidservant Hagar and try a child through her. Oh course, Abram quickly agrees. “He slept with Hagar, and she conceived” v. 4. Naturally, Sarai becomes jealous and starts mistreating Hagar because her own plan worked. Sarai causes Hagar to run away and she runs to the desert where an angel appears to her with a message. “The angel of the LORD also said to her: “You are now with child and you will have a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard of your misery” v. 11. Ishmael means God hears. Verse 13 says, “She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.’” It should be comforting that in times when we feel invisible or are facing something that we didn’t even stir up, there is a God who sees us.
Psalm 16 is a psalm of David with a similar theme to Hagar’s plight in Genesis. David cries out to the Lord to keep him safe. Verses 9-11 seem to show us that David knows despite his circumstances and situation God sees Him. “Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, 10 because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 11 You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” May the promise of Scripture give you hope and aid you in trusting in the Lord in times like David faced.
In John 16 Jesus continues His Olivette discourse. He continues teaching on the Holy Spirit and tells the disciples what they might not wait to hear, times will get tough before they get better. Jesus even tells them that some of them will be put to death and it will be seen as a service to God. Jesus tells the disciples that the Holy Spirit, the Counselor, will convict the world in three areas. Sin, righteousness, and judgment. The Holy Spirt will teach us what is wrong and sinful, the Holy Spirit will teach us what is also right in the absence of Jesus, and finally the Spirit will act in judgment because Satan will be condemned for his actions.
As Jesus explains in detail about his soon coming absence and then appearance. The disciples probe Jesus with more questions. When they final understand the disciples respond with “Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God” v.30. The grief and confusion the disciples faced now became confidence and joy knowing that Jesus was a God that saw them and all things. Don’t let us forget that Jesus, our Lord and Savior, sees us and He knows what will take place in our future even though we do not.
What else do you see in these three chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stick out to you?
Add your thoughts below.
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Posted by John Weldon
January 15, 2024
January 15, 2024
Read Genesis 15, Psalm 15, John 15
What things do we rush through in life? What do we try and speed through to get them done? What things do we enjoy and desire to spend time on? Chances are if you are making a list in your mind right now, the things we want to dwell on are the things that we love and find enjoyment. How does our walk with God fit into these two categories? Do we long to rush through our time with God in order so that we can dwell on other things in our life? Or, do we long to spend time with God and in His word more than other things?
God again comes to Abram in Genesis 15 and tells Him, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward” v. 1. Abram speaks up and asks what type of reward he may receive, Abram longs for a son. Earlier God promised Abram that he would have many descendants, but it hasn’t happened yet. Abram is getting impatient. If you know the story, it will take 25 years for Abram and Sarai to have the promised child. God wanted Abram to dwell in his promise and to be obedient to God. Abram had to trust God would reward Him in God’s proper timing. Our world is probably even more impatient now. The use of technology makes us pace the kitchen floor waiting 2 minutes for our popcorn, or the few seconds it takes for our phone and apps to connect on a video call on the other side of the world.
God again comes to Abram in a deep sleep and reminds Abram that it will a while before all the things God spoke to him about will come to pass. “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and ill-treated four hundred years. 14 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterwards they will come out with great possessions” vv. 13-14. Then God tells Him “In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here” v. 16. Many will explain the fourth generation as through ha typical life span of a human, 100 years and that would match the 400 or 430 years in Egypt as slaves.
In Psalm 15 David asks, “LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?” v. 1. The rest of the psalm answers that. It is those who fear the Lord, those who do right, and live a just life in relationship with their neighbors and others. One day we will dwell with God, not in the sanctuary or temple, but with God in Heaven.
In John 15 we see a similar theme of dwelling. Jesus calls his true disciples to “remain in me” v.4. I love the King James word “abide.” Jesus tells us three times to remain or abide. First, “remain in me” v. 4, second, “my words remain in you” v. 7, and finally “remain in my love” v. 9. This aspect of dwelling all has to do with our relationship with God. Yes, the Bible does not speak much about our need for a “relationship” with God, that is a more modern phrase, but the Bible does speak much about our “walk with God.” When two people go for a walk together they can communicate, both talk and listen, they can interact with one another, learn from each other. All this is true of our walk with God. The last part of the chapter Jesus reminds his disciples that when we remain in Him the world will hate us. “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you” vv. 18-19. We have a choice, we can either remain in God’s love or the world’s love. Where will we choose to dwell?
What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes pop out at you? Write your thoughts and observations below.
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Posted by John Weldon
DId God Really Say... 