October 21, 2026

To the followers of Christ: On the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, they traditionally celebrated by pouring out water from the temple. 

"They fetched a golden vessel of water from the pool of Siloam, brought it into the temple with sound of trumpet and other ceremonies, and, upon the ascent to the altar, poured it out before the Lord with all possible expressions of joy." Matthew Henry. 

It is thought that Jesus was referring to this when he said in John 7:37-38, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." 

At that time, the Holy Spirit had not been given because Jesus had not yet been glorified. His glorification came after he had died, rose again, and ascended to the right hand of the Father. It wasn't until Pentecost that the Holy Spirit was poured out. According to Matthew Henry, the gift of tongues was the flow of living water: "Now the time when the gospel should be propagated in the nations was not yet come, and therefore there was as yet no occasion for the gift of tongues, that river of living water." So when Peter preached, and everyone understood him, that's when the Gentiles believed. 

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem J*ws, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Acts 2:4-5

Every nation under heaven was there. Could this have been the fulfillment of "The Great Commission?" If not, it was the beginning, since people from every nation were there and could take that information back to their homeland to tell others.

October 20, 2026

To the followers of Christ: Jesus tells the people he is teaching that they cannot go where he is going. They didn’t know what he meant, but knowing what we know now shows us he was telling them about his ascension back into heaven, where he came from. They thought he might go and teach the Gentiles, so they couldn’t go with him.

Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me. Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come. John 7:33

The words of Jesus are trustworthy because what he said came to pass, but we are still waiting for some of his words to come to fruition. One thing we can count on is that he is alive and on his throne, and when we do finally get to be with him, we will rejoice for eternity. Though we are in this world, we are not of it, and the troubles we face make us long for our day of redemption. Soon, but not yet.

October 19, 2026

To the followers of Christ: Even though the religious leaders were after Jesus, he kept speaking boldly in the temple. They knew exactly who he was and where he came from because they knew the Scriptures, and they knew everything matched the prophecies foretold about him. Yet they desired their positions of power more than the coming of the One True King. 

Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not. John 7:28

Knowing what you know about Jesus, and reading the scriptures for yourself, what is holding you back from putting your complete trust in him? We want to believe in him, but when it comes down to it, we don’t want to go out on a limb, go against the rulers of this world, and trust him with our entire lives. When we realize that the challenges we face are part of a process that refines us, we stop fearing what comes next because we know we are in God's hands and that He only wants what’s best for us. Trust Jesus with your entire life for the here and now, and for eternity.

October 18, 2026

To the followers of Christ: Jesus had to come not only to save us from our sins, but also because the people, the J*ws, who were given the law of Moses, which no other nation had, needed their understanding corrected. At every opportunity, Jesus was found teaching in the temple, especially during ceremonial celebrations of God's provision, like the Feast of Tabernacles, which, if you don't know what that is, was a time of camping as they did during their wilderness journey out of Egypt. Note: they didn't understand how Jesus knew so much, having never been formally taught, but he answered by saying that anyone who does the will of God knows His doctrine. Like Jesus, we get this information free from the Holy Spirit! However, we confirm our understanding by studying the scriptures. 

If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. John 7:17

Remember, they were after him for healing a man on the sabbath, so Jesus pointed out that they always break the sabbath law to carry out Moses' law to circumcise a baby on the 8th day, whether it was on the sabbath or not. Jesus had only spoken the man's healing into existence, yet they circumcise on the sabbath, which is physical and a bloody ritual. Jesus pointed out their hypocrisy. 

If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day? Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. John 7:23-24

October 17, 2026

To the followers of Christ: When it was time for the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus’ brothers wanted him to go up to Jerusalem, expose himself, and show who he was. However, it wasn’t the right time because they were after him to take him out, so he stayed back and ministered where it was safe. 

Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready. John 7:6

He eventually went up and taught in the temple. Just because we are followers of Christ doesn’t mean we have to be reckless about our decisions; we still need to consider our safety against bodily harm because it’s the only vessel we have to spread the gospel. However, there may be times when we cannot avoid harm because doing so would cause us to sin. Sometimes we have to choose our battles, so when it’s a choice between harm and safety, it’s better to choose safety until another opportunity presents itself and the hazards are less. Even his disciples had to tread carefully in Jerusalem because, at that time, mentioning his name was a crime. 

Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews. John 7:13

October 16, 2026

To the followers of Christ: Many people were offended by Jesus saying we must eat and drink his body to receive eternal life, and they left and stopped following him; I explained the meaning of the saying in yesterday's post. In this, we can see the sorting of the wheat from the weeds. Unfortunately, within our churches, some seek to profit from the followers of Christ and hide behind a disguise; these people are the hardest to reach, which is why I write specifically to the followers of Christ. Everyone has a mission given to them by Jesus, and mine is to reach those who are pretending and, if possible, catch those who have fallen within our church systems. They come in the likeness of Christ, but their hearts are far from him. If I were to address my posts to the pretenders, no one would read it, but since I throw a blanket over everyone, it might be possible to turn those to him who are simply following him for their own physical gain, but the true believers will glean truths that help us in our walk with him. It's a catch-all. 

Jesus knew people would be offended by what he said, and he said it anyway; by doing this, he separated the true believers from the pretenders. He didn't sugarcoat anything, and true prophetic believers will tell you the truth without sanitizing it, much like Jesus did when he spoke to the people. The prophets of old didn't hold back, and that's likely why many called him a prophet. We know him as our Savior, and if we don't comprehend his hard sayings, we need to call on him to explain them, and he will guide us in the right direction.

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. John 6:63-64

October 15, 2026

To the followers of Christ: I think we sometimes don’t fully comprehend the sacrificial system that Jesus lived under during his time on earth because it’s not part of our requirements. After all, we are living after that system is dead, and also because we are Gentiles. So, when Jesus tells us he is the bread of life and that we must eat of his body and drink of his blood, we don’t completely perceive the intended meaning of this requirement. Jesus told them exactly what he came to do, yet they missed the point and couldn’t grasp the magnitude of his mission. We live after the fact, so it’s easier to see the truth because we have the privilege of witnesses who expressed it in the words of the Bible. For some reason and it should have dawned on me sooner that Jesus is showing us the that eating of his flesh and drinking of his body, is like the animals that were used in the sacrifices which the priests were allowed to eat. We are priests in the kingdom of God, permitted to eat from the sacrificial lamb, which is Jesus. When Jesus instituted the ritual of communion, with the bread and the wine representing his body and blood, it was a commemoration of his sacrifice, giving us full access to his offering upon the cross, so we could eat and drink and never be hungry or thirsty again, because his flesh and blood satisfied that need. That’s why it is so important to take communion with a repentant heart. It is part of the ongoing process of cleansing throughout our lives, and everyone saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus should participate in this process instituted by Jesus. 

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. John 6:53-56

October 14, 2026

To the followers of Christ: I must admit, I love to eat. When I'm hungry, that's all I think about.

After Jesus had fed the 5,000, he took some time away from the crowds. Meanwhile, his disciples took a boat to Capernaum; that's when he came to them walking on the water. The people noticed that he didn't leave with his disciples, and wondered how he got to the other shore. They followed him across; not because of his miracles, he knew because he could read their intentions, but because he gave them food. It was probably the best food they had ever eaten. He called them out.

Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. John 6:26 

Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves, and he wants our motive for following and loving him to be pure, not for what he can do for our physical lives, but for our spiritual lives, because he knows spiritual food is everlasting, not a temporary fix like filling our bellies. Consider whether your motives are shaped by what Jesus gives you physically or by love; correct your mindset if it's anything but pure love for our Savior.

Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. John 6:27

October 13, 2026

To the followers of Christ: The people Jesus fed, who had seen the miracle of the barley loaves and the fishes, wanted to make him King. But isn’t that like people? They saw that they didn’t have to work for their food, and if they made Jesus their King, they might quit work, lie around, retire from their toil, and be lazy all day. However, Jesus knew that it would mess up the real reason he came: to die for our sins and become King of our eternity and rid the nations of the sacrificial system, since he was the only sacrifice that was holy enough to do that. So, rather than stay there and let that happen, he slipped away from the crowds and went into the mountains. 

When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone. John 6:15

The disciples set out on the sea, but the wind blew, and the sea became rough. That’s when they saw Jesus walking on the water, and they feared seeing him more than the tumultuous sea, but they calmed their fear when he said, “It is I; be not afraid.” They gladly accepted him into the boat. Isn’t that the story of our lives? We initially fear accepting Jesus as our savior, because the world loves us as sinners, but when we relax and realize what is best for us, we gladly accept him as our own, and we arrive at our destiny. 

But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid. Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went. John 6:20-21

October 12, 2026

To the followers of Christ: In the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand, though it’s a physical truth, I also see a spiritual truth. The people had seen Jesus’ healing miracles and heard that he had crossed the Sea of Galilee, so they followed him. It’s not thought that he went directly across, but that he took a coastal voyage on the same side of the lake, which makes perfect sense, since so many people were there to come and hear him speak, and possibly see more miracles. Jesus asked Phillip where they could get food for all of those people, since Phillip was from that region. He answered that they didn’t have enough money, but Andrew said a boy had five loaves of barley bread and two small fish. That’s when Jesus pulled out all the stops and used the little they had to feed many.

As I read this account this morning, the Holy Spirit quickened me and gave me a brief insight into a spiritual truth. God may give us very little to work with spiritually, but the impact on others can overflow into spiritual abundance, much like the story of the loaves and the fishes. If God highlights a speck of information in someone’s life, He will often give you a testimony or story to share, which may greatly impact that person for their good. Be careful not to neglect a prompting of the Holy Spirit; it could help build the kingdom of God and, through it, feed many more.

When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. John 6:12-13

October 11, 2026

To the followers of Christ: The Law of Moses and the prophets point directly to Jesus, yet the people of his day couldn't see him in those scriptures. They were too self-involved and sought their own fame instead of seeing their Messiah, who was right in front of them. The Old Testament points to the coming Messiah, and the New Testament confirms that Christ was right before them, but they were too blind to see him. The entire Bible is about Jesus, and if we pay close attention to its words, we will see it too, just as Jesus tells us. God appoints people to His service, gives them credentials, and honors those who honor Him; those who humble themselves and do not seek their own glory will not lose by it. Jesus did just as he was appointed to do, and God sent John the Baptist as a witness, but God was also a witness because He introduced Jesus as His Son in whom He was well pleased. The religious leaders of that day thought believing and memorizing the Scriptures would save them, but they didn't realize the Scriptures they memorized would become a testimony against them. If they had believed those same scriptures, they would have been saved, but instead they sought to remove Jesus because he messed up their religious authority. 

Here is the point: Don't seek fame in your testimony; tell it because you want others to see what Christ has done for you, not because you want fame, which is what the devil seeks. Be wary of those who seem to have become famous in service to Christ; the enemy likely has them propped up. Do what you do for Christ's fame, not your own. 

How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. John 5:44-45

October 10, 2026

To the followers of Christ: Lately, I’ve heard it said by some who are deceived that they only believe in the Father, seemingly rejecting Jesus. Here is what Jesus says about that:

That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. John 5:23

Their belief puts them in a predicament, and they are ultimately rejecting God. God the Father has given Jesus the authority to judge, and these same people will fall into his hands at the resurrection of the dead at the end. 

And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. John 5:27

Everlasting life comes through your belief in Jesus.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. John 5:24

Only through him do we receive wonderful, everlasting life and avoid everlasting condemnation. 

And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. John 5:29

October 9, 2026

To the followers of Christ: The story of Jesus healing the lame man in Jerusalem at the pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath is interesting and offers much to consider. The Bible tells us that, on special occasions, the angel of the Lord would stir the pool, and the first one in would be completely healed of all their diseases. If an angel could stoop to such a menial task, we should consider nothing below us except sin. The lame man had no one to help him get in, so someone always got in first, leaving him lying there helplessly. Jesus came and asked him, "Wilt thou be made whole?" He told Jesus that he had no one to help him into the pool. He hadn't considered that there might be another way to be healed. Then Jesus said, "Rise, take up thy bed, and walk." And he was immediately healed. This infuriated the religious leaders, and they sought to persecute Jesus and slay him. Jesus saw him at the temple later and told him to go and sin no more, or his outcome would be worse than what he was healed of.  We can surmise from Jesus' words that his condition stemmed from his sinfulness.  

Points to consider: 

1. He was made completely whole immediately, not by degrees.
2. Jesus made him take up his bed so everyone in the streets could see the miracle.
3. This miracle would witness against the religious leaders for stretching the Sabbath law beyond its intent.
4. This miracle would test his patient's faith in obedience to Jesus because breaking the law would expose him to censure in court.

Number 4 is a doozy! We must consider that one day we may be breaking the law in obedience to Christ. 

Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. John 5:14

October 8, 2026

To the followers of Christ: Living well after Jesus, we've had to learn to accept that we won't get a personal, physical visit from Jesus to honor our request for a miracle. Even while he was here on earth, he couldn't always be physically present. However, because he is God, he could heal from afar. When Jesus left Samaria, he went to Cana of Galilee, where he did his first miracle of changing the water into wine, and it was there that John recorded a second miracle. A nobleman asked Jesus to come with him to his home because his son was sick and was about to die, but Jesus, in a show of power, told the man that his son lived. When the man headed home, one of his servants met him and told him his son was alive. Then the man asked what time he got better, and it turned out it was at the same time Jesus spoke life into him from a great distance. This type of healing requires prayer: we ask anything in the name of Jesus, and he will grant our request. 

We will learn further in the book of John that some miracles come at our command, but others require prayer and fasting. Has God limited our capacity to heal and do miracles? No, but the enemy has diminished our belief that miracles still exist. Maybe we need to learn to ask God which method would work for our situation and listen for an answer, or, if you're like me, try every method and hope one works. Just remember, we are not responsible for miracles or healings; those lie solely with Jesus, but it helps to hold on to as much faith as we can. 

So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee. John 4:53-54

October 7, 2026

To the followers of Christ: “Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?” John 4:29. 

So you’re telling me this woman, who has had five husbands and the one she was with wasn’t her husband, thought nothing about running back into town and telling the men of that town that she met the Messiah, and he told her all her sins, and they ran out to see him before he traveled on to Galilee, and they weren’t worried about him pointing out their sins? She couldn’t have been such a bad person because the people of that town listened and believed her. Have we been taught wrong about this woman? Or did we assume that, since she had five different husbands, she was the problem? If she had been the town's tramp, and of a bad reputation, they wouldn’t have listened to her. We only assume that since she didn’t get her water in the morning with the other women, that she was ashamed to be seen. Maybe something came up that day, and she couldn’t make it to the well that morning. The Samaritans were the people the J*ws weren’t supposed to associate with, and yet Jesus thought nothing of his reputation and gave them some of the crumbs from the master’s table. We need to think long and hard about how we treat others because of rumors that we’ve heard, because you cannot know a person's entire life from one snippet we’ve heard about them, or conclude something from one interaction with them. Apparently, this woman had some pull in this town to get the people to go and meet the man she was talking about. 

Here is what I love about this story: 

And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. John 4:42

October 6, 2026

To the followers of Christ: I’m sure you already know the story of the woman at the well, so I don't need to repeat it, but we can still glean some things from it that will help us understand how to minister to others. The Samaritans were obnoxious to the J*ws because they were a mix of different people and not a “pure” people group like them; by the way, they are not pure either. Jesus was on his way to Galilee, and there was no closer route than through Samaria, but I’m sure it was no coincidence that he needed to travel that direction. Because Jesus was tired from his journey, he waited at Jacob’s well while the others went into town to get food. Remember, Jesus knows all and sees all, so he already knew the conversation that would happen between him and the woman, and the impact it would have on the people in that area. Jesus telling her what he shouldn’t have known showed her that he was different, and possibly a prophet. Jesus revealed to her that he was the Messiah, the living water that would keep her from thirsting after other gods. You know that once you have Jesus, no other god presented even comes close to the peace you get from him, so you thirst no more after some inanimate god. 

Here is what we might miss about this story: Jesus ministering to this one woman caused an entire city to know who he was, because word spread about him being the Messiah, and many were led to believe in him because of that one, short interaction. So, when you feel the urge to tell others about Jesus, it’s not a coincidence, and it may impact more people than you realize, because the person you tell could reach people you couldn't reach otherwise. So, make sure you share your love for Jesus with as many people as you meet.

Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4:13-14

October 5, 2026

To the followers of Christ: The Pharisees were becoming salty because Jesus was becoming very popular, so after the feast he left for Galilee. 

When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. John 4:1-3

 

My preacher is brilliant, and he teaches us what he finds in his in-depth studies. One thing he shared with us is that young men in line for the priesthood were not allowed to read the first part of Genesis or the Song of Solomon before age 30 because of the creation story and the Song of Solomon's sexual content. I'll be digging into this a little more because I don't understand why the creation story should be kept secret until they reach maturity. During his sermon, I looked it up to see where he got that information (I know I shouldn't be on my phone during a sermon, but if I don't look things up right then, I'll forget about it), because it's not in the Bible. It turns out that the scholar Jerome was the one who revealed that information. I'm sure it was well known back then. I find that significant because Jesus came back on the scene when he turned 30 because he was in line for the priesthood. The Pharisees probably thought he was too young to know what he was revealing. They were jealous of his knowledge and his miracles. If I find out more, I will let you know. 

What does this information tell us about God? It tells us that He knows our brains do not fully mature until age 30. I find this sort of extra-biblical information so interesting, so I thought I would share it. 

October 4, 2026

To the followers of Christ: Did you know that you have your everlasting life now? Those who believe Jesus is the Son of God will live in communion with him now and into eternity. Though what we have now is only a foretaste of what is to come, and though the future may be in a different form, we can relish our life in Christ now and enjoy our gift of the Holy Spirit as a placeholder for our later joy of eternity with him. 

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. John 3:36

In this passage, John the Baptist set his disciples straight about who he was because they thought Jesus was upstaging him. He reminded them that he was only to introduce the bridegroom, not be the bridegroom. Speaking of Jesus, he said: "He must increase, but I must decrease." John 3:30. You might hear these same words from a preacher before his sermon; now you know where they came from. John made it clear to his disciples that he was only the forerunner of Jesus, and that our salvation is through him alone. 

Pictured are some jalapeños and basil from my garden. The basil smells divine. I can't wait to make some poppers from the jalapeños.