Of the eight uses of the word 'joy' in John's Gospel, four are in John 16 (vv. 20, 21, 22, 24). Three of those references are related to pain, suffering, and sorrow turning into joy. On Monday I joined the Lakeside Middle School teachers, secretaries and administration who pray weekly. The teacher in whose room we met has not had an easy year (join the crowd). Her comment went like this: "Joy is o...  Read More

Jesus to disciples: "I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now." (John 16:12)Information overload...TMI. There is so much out there that it can easily just become noise, and the thing about noise is that it can be tuned out. But, what if that information is life or death? Then, there are those who seem genuine in their concern that the truth be heard. I think of a recent pu...  Read More

 I have told you these things so that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy may be made full and complete and overflowing. John 15:11, AMP.This morning my waking song was "Abide" (Aaron Williams and Aaron Keyes) and then we read those famous words of Jesus. The secret of abiding is absolute surrender and utter dependence. The truth of the matter is, apart from Jesus there is nothing ...  Read More

Does Jesus really offer us a blank check? "If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it" (John 14:14, CSB). Surely sounds like a blank check. Put that in its context and you get a wonderfully complete picture. Everything starts with a deep and abiding relationship between Lord and disciple. It is out of a loving obedience (v.15) that Christ seals our relationship (Ephesians 1:13-14), filling us...  Read More

That phrase at the end of John 13:30 always gets me: "And it was night." More personally ominous is John's recording of Judas' experience...'and Satan entered him' (v.27). Of course, the two are related. Ironically, he whose name means 'light' (Lucifer) is the author of 'night'...everything devoid of God, and Jesus Who is the Light of the world. Pity the people walking about, stumbling and fumblin...  Read More

Jesus replied to him, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but you will [fully] understand it later.” (John 13:7, AMP)Can you identify? What? Wait? What's going on here? The Rabbi would never stoop to do the work of a slave, yet the Great Rabbi was washing his disciples' feet. Everyone knew the disciples served every desire and need of the Rabbi, yet these disciples in this moment were too bus...  Read More