September 26, 2026

To the followers of Christ: Do you have any cousins that you don’t really know? Maybe you know of them but don’t have a relationship with them. We know from the story of Jesus’ birth that when Mary met Elizabeth, her cousin, who was also pregnant, John, whom she was carrying, leaped in her belly when Mary came to stay with her. We also know that Joseph, Mary, and Jesus, when he was a small child, had to travel and stay far away from their families to keep Jesus safe from being slaughtered by Herod. For that reason, they didn’t grow up together. So when John the Baptist says he didn’t know him but was told by the Spirit who to look for, he knew when the dove settled upon Jesus that it was a representative of the Holy Spirit, and that he was the one he was told was coming as the Savior who would take away the sins of the world. 

Now, we’ve been taught about Jesus, but have never even seen him, yet we bear witness that he is the Son of God who came to give us salvation from our sins. Until the Spirit introduced him to us, we didn’t know him; now that we do, we are witnesses to his goodness and faithfulness, and to the fact that he has taken away our sins. Because of that, we always have something to be grateful for. 

And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. John 1:33-34

September 25, 2026

To the followers of Christ: Baptism is an important part of becoming a follower of Christ. Have you undergone this ceremony? Have you ever had questions about water baptism because John the Baptist mentions this: 

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Matthew 3:11

Is water baptism really necessary? Here is what I found:

When John the Baptist came on the scene, the Pharisees questioned him to find out who he was. They had no right to examine him because he was a priest and a descendant of Aaron. However, they expected one of the signs of the Messiah would be baptism because the prophets said he would come purifying by water. John denied being the Messiah.

Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. Ezekiel 36:25

Where did baptism originate? When a stranger, called a proselyte, wanted to become part of the Jewish church, they would undergo a ceremony of circumcision and water baptism to cleanse them of their former lifestyle, leaving everything else behind. 

We are baptized into God’s kingdom of believers. 

In conclusion, I found that it is necessary because Peter, speaking of the Gentiles who had received the Holy Spirit, after Jesus had ascended to the right hand of the Father, says this:

For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days. Acts 10:46-48

Baptism is not just ceremonial. Don’t deny yourself this part of the process; it’s an outward sign of the interior change. 

September 24, 2026

To the followers of Christ: I’ve watched as my husband interacts with our grandsons and it’s precious. Our youngest grandson is 6, and he’s the most like him, a little “off-the-chain,” but loving. The two of them are like “peas and carrots,” to quote Forrest Gump. He will sometimes sit with him in his recliner and play games with him, even though it’s a tight squeeze. You can see the love oozing off of them as they enjoy one another’s company. We both get a thrill watching him drive his little truck or electric bike down our driveway coming to see use nearly everyday. We are living our best lives for sure. One day, after we are gone, these boys will likely have to jump in and help manage the businesses we’ve left to their parents, and uncles and aunts, but they will be ready to help because they’ve grown up watching and learning how it’s done. Other people don’t actually know what goes on in our families, but the children are there and see the interworking that no one else see, not that any of our lives are a secret, but some things are only for our families. 

The relationship between the Father and His Son Jesus, is very similar to the working of the family, I believe He designed it that way on purpose as a way to explain how they work, through that relationship dynamic, meaning, the way God the Father and God the Son respond to one another. We can see the truth in that by the way John explains their closeness. That’s why when Jesus tells the people of that day, that if you’ve seen him, you’ve seen the Father we can relate to it with our own families. I suppose that why when I see my husband’s relationship with our grandsons it reminded me of the verse where it says Jesus is in the bosom of the Father. It’s precious and something that many of us can relate to. 

No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. John 1:18

September 23, 2026

To the followers of Christ: If you've ever met someone with the gift of prophecy, or you may be that person, you will recognize them because they are quick to call out sin, and they don't hold back. If they do hold back, it's purely because the Holy Spirit restrained them. They may not have refined grace. For example: John the Baptist was a prophet sent to introduce Jesus, and while he was baptizing, he called the Pharisees and Sadducees a generation of vipers; they earned that distinction, but you can see that he was quick to call them out, and he was brutal with his words. Sometimes the best way to get your point across is to go straight for the truth. However, what may be lacking, especially when it comes to speaking to those who are saved, is grace. Grace has many definitions, but the one that seems to go best with this lesson is this:

Grace: The application of Christ's righteousness to the sinner. 

Isn't that good? We would all do well to understand it this way. Grace is preferred above the Law of Moses. I know that's a bold statement, but it's the truth. Moses' law is terrifying, threatening, and full of penalties to make people comply, but the Gospel of Jesus is happier, and "it has all the beneficial uses of the law, but not the terror, for it is grace."

The point is that if you are tempted to call out someone's sin, and sometimes it's necessary, remember to apply the righteousness of Jesus to the sinner. Tread carefully; you don't want to venture into sin yourself while correcting someone else.

For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. John 1:17

The quotes above come from the Matthew Henry Commentary.

September 22, 2026

To the followers of Christ: Have you ever been a witness, sat on a jury, or been questioned by a judge in court? It can be intimidating and make you a nervous wreck. Once you realize the judge is just another human trying to uncover the truth, you calm down somewhat. As Christ-followers, that is what we do daily. We are witnesses to the grace and truth that came through Jesus; we study the evidence as a jury, and we answer questions about his deity like witnesses in a trial. Not only do we have the evidence in our hands, the written Word of God, but our experience of his grace and mercy serves as the truth of who he is. 

Did you know that there are usually twelve jurors seated in either a civil or criminal case, chosen randomly from everyday people? Did you also know that Jesus had twelve disciples as witnesses who were typical, relatable, everyday people? He didn’t call priests or kings as his disciples, but people who could spread his message of grace and truth. They may have been intimidated at first, but once they realized that Jesus was God in the flesh, they willingly submitted themselves to whatever challenges they faced because they believed in him. Because of your faith in him, you can hold your head high, knowing the One who holds your everlasting life in his hands, and you can fiercely testify to the truth that Jesus Christ is our Savior and King. 

And the Word was made 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. John 1:14

September 21, 2026

To the followers of Christ: Have you ever dug into your lineage? I traced one of my lines all the way back to the 1500s, but that’s as far as I could go; it stops abruptly after that. What was I looking for? Royalty. I didn’t find any in my lineage, so why have I always felt set apart, even as a child? 

Somehow, lately, the algorithm has been sending me videos of the British royal family, and I couldn’t help but watch them. Turns out, they don’t do anything. Their purpose seems to be to show off the royal jewels and show up to be seen. They don’t seem to be in charge of anything but themselves. 

Jesus, who is royalty and always was, was rejected as such. The people who gave him his royal lineage rejected him as King. Remember, only a few accepted him as their King; the rest crucified him. They crucified his body, but couldn’t get rid of him! He came back to life, proving that he wasn’t ordinary. 

Look at this: But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13

We are royalty, not by flesh, but because we have received Jesus and have been born again into God’s royal lineage. We are not just ornaments like the British royal family; our royalty comes with responsibilities, and we have a purpose. We are commanded to tell the world about Jesus, and how could you not brag about what he has done for you? It’s as simple as sharing your testimony. Tell your story of redemption, brag about your royal family, and show off your jewels- that sparkly light of our Savior. 

September 20, 2026

To the followers of Christ: Remember the children's song "Deep and Wide"? I remember singing it way back in Sunday School. We did the motions with our hands, which helped us learn the song.

Deep and wide

Deep and wide

There's a fountain flowing deep and wide

Deep and wide

Deep and wide

There's a fountain flowing deep and wide

Jesus is that fountain. I posted a picture of my new, old fountain a couple of days ago; we recently placed it on our back patio, and it's dry and still needs a good cleaning. Without Jesus, we are like that dry and dirty fountain, waiting to be filled from his overflowing grace.

And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. John 1:16

Jesus is so full of grace that it bubbles over onto us, fills us up, and spills onto others; we are the vessel, like the fountain, that shares that grace with others. So, when you are offended by others- and believe me, it happens all the time- remember that you are full of the grace of Christ, and it's your job to let that grace spill onto the offenders. You don't have to be their punching bag, but if you offer them grace and they reject it, they will pay the price. Jesus will top off that grace you gave them with more. That is grace for grace.