John 5

"Dear Beloved, The Bible is a precious treasure. Don't neglect it. Use it and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you through it. Remember! It is a tool....."

"Dear Follower, In today's events from My life on earth, you will meet a man who had great difficulties. But like so many who find themselves in very...."

Why are we so reluctant to do what Jesus asks us when we know he cares so much for us? Max Lucado simply reminds us to obey Jesus when he asks something of us.

"But [Jesus healed the man by the pool of Bethesda] on the Sabbath, so the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, "You can't..."

"[Talking to Jewish leaders who opposed him, Jesus continued,] "Your approval means nothing to me, because I know you don't have God's love within you...."

"[Talking to Jewish leaders who opposed him, Jesus continued,] "Yet it isn't I who will accuse you before the Father. Moses will accuse you! Yes,..."

"Jesus told [the sick man by the pool of Bethesda], "Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!" Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping..."

"Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five..."

"[Jesus continued,] "And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice — the voice of the Son of God...."

"One of the men lying [by the pool of Bethesda] had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he....."

"[Jesus continued addressing the Jewish leaders:] "In fact, you sent investigators to listen to John the [Baptizer], and his testimony about me was..."

"[Jesus said,] "John [the Baptizer] was like a burning and shining lamp, and you were excited for a while about his message. But I have a greater..."

"So Jesus explained [to the leaders who wanted to kill him], "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the..."

"[Jesus continued,] "In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the Son absolute authority to judge, so that everyone will honor the...."

"So the Jewish leaders began harassing Jesus for breaking the Sabbath rules [by healing on the Sabbath]. But Jesus replied, "My Father is always..."

"[About the man who had been healed, John wrote:] But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, "Now you are well; so stop sinning, or..."

"[Jesus continued,] "You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to...."

"[Jesus insisted that he had authority and power by saying,] "And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it's here now, when the dead will hear....."

"[Jesus confronted his religious critics by saying,] "You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point...."

"[Jesus continued,] "If I were to testify on my own behalf, my testimony would not be valid. But someone else is also testifying about me, and I assure..."

"[Jesus continued,] "Don't be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God's Son, and they..."

"[Jesus said,] "And the Father who sent me has testified about me himself. You have never heard his voice or seen him face to face, and you do not have..."

Are you righteous enough to get close to God? Bill Denton reminds us that the Pharisees' problem wasn't their love for Scripture, but their willingness to condemn others and justify themselves.

"So the Jewish leaders tried all the harder to find a way to kill [Jesus]. For he not only broke the Sabbath, he called God his Father, thereby making...."

"[Jesus continued,] "For just as the Father gives life to those he raises from the dead, so the Son gives life to anyone he wants.""

"I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live."

"[Jesus said,] "By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.""

"[Jesus continued,] "I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be..."

"Years are short to the happy and healthy; but thirty-eight years of disease must have dragged a very weary length along the life of the poor impotent...."

"Jesus Christ is the Alpha and Omega of the Bible. He is the constant theme of its sacred pages; from first to last they testify of him. At the..."

"The Greek word here rendered search signifies a strict, close, diligent, curious search, such as men make when they are seeking gold, or hunters when...."

"Like many others, the impotent man had been waiting for a wonder to be wrought, and a sign to be given. Wearily did he watch the pool, but no angel..."

"[Jesus continued,] "I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who....."

Inspirational illustration of John 5:25 -- I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.

Inspirational illustration of John 5:30 -- By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.

"Dear Partner in the Kingdom, People can speak in "God talk" and live in anti-God ways. Unfortunately, Christmas is a time when a lot of that happens...."

What Jesus' resurrection guarantees about our own. Max Lucado shares insights from the Bible about what happens to us when we die and what Jesus' resurrection means to our hope.

Where can we go to experience God and fill the hole inside of us? Phil Ware continues his series of posts on the Immanuel Project, the way Jesus promised we could know and experience God.

What if Jesus isn't who you expect him to be? When the promised Messiah arrived, the Pharisees rejected him and plotted to have him killed, despite having spent their entire lives reading about his coming. Why? He wasn't what they expected him to be.

Mary heard his voice call her name and that one word changed everything for her! Phil Ware continues his series on Jesus' resurrection called resurrection 2.0, this week focusing on Jesus' word to Mary!

Have we missed the joy of our Father and the party he longs to throw for all of us who love him and give up all to follow Jesus? Jordan Harrell and Phil Ware invite to come celebrate at the table of grace our Father longs for us to share and not get hung up on chapter and verse prooftexting religion.

Jesus calls us beyond the narrow caricatures of grace. Phil Ware continues his series called UNPREDICTABLE about Jesus and his love and grace and call to follow him in holiness and reminds us that grace calls us from sin and death and to a life of holiness.

Haven't you stayed down long enough? Rick Brown reminds us that lame excuses keep us lame and Jesus calls us to get up, take up, and get on with living and walking and taking responsibility for our lives.

Jesus put fresh depth of meaning into the words 'love' and 'cross' because of WHO he is and WHAT he did! Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to open our hearts to hear God's call to choose to keep our sin dead and buried and live for Jesus in the shadow of the cross.

When can a conviction lead to an acquittal? A murder trial ends up in a conviction and acquittal because of a conversion!

Why do we run after other things to add to Jesus? Phil Ware continues his messages out of Colossians; this one focuses on Jesus being enough and anything added to Him is less.

Jesus is my beloved Son. What he says not only pleases me, but it is my fullest truth. Phil Ware reminds us that God said almost exactly the same words to his Son twice, yet he spoke the first time to affirm his Son and the second time to let us know we must listen to the Son.

Doesn't sound like much of a plan, just to sit and pray, but it was Jesus' plan! Mark Frost finishes his 4 part series on Acts 1 and the key scenes that set the stage for the church to launch out into a whole new era of mission.

Is there truth that can be trusted? Jesus is the only absolute -- truth is found only in him.

He silently slipped out. Exited. Departed. He passed, not away, but on. Yet, on to where? Max Lucado reminds us that Easter, Jesus' Resurrection Sunday, is not just about Jesus being raised, but our life beyond death!

Don't be fooled by the simplicity of this meal, but be reminded that Jesus makes simple things glorious! Phil Ware reminds us that though the bread and wine of this meal are simple, so were Jesus' words to Jairus' daughter, and those words changed everything.

We know Jesus is God's greatest Word, but can we trust the Scriptures that lead us to him? James Nored and Phil Ware share in video and word messages that help us understand that we are part of God's great story of Jesus and that we have a story to share as well.

What is my Father trying to teach me about his work? Lisa Mikitarian reminds us that our Father in heaven has invited us into his work just like our earthly parents have sometimes invited us, and taken pride in us, working in their world.

Can I really know Jesus as someone who is real in my life? Phil Ware writes a two part series on Finding Jesus at Christmas and this one focuses on spending time with Jesus in the Gospels.

We all need to discover that Jesus is not just alive and interceding for us at the right hand of God, but he is also present with us now as our resurrected Lord, Savior, and friend. Phil Ware shares how we can experience Jesus in our lives based on Jesus' promises and Matthew's story of Jesus in his Gospel.

Most of our earth-bound explanations are shallow and trite in the face of life's harshest realities. Phil Ware pauses and looks at the pain of grieving parents at the loss of a child and reminds us to forgo easy answers and cling to the stories and promises of Jesus.

Will we build our lives on the Lord's will, on the foundation of his loving instructions to us? Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to open our hearts to the call of God in our lives and to living according to his will and guidance for us.

If you Google “Hand of God” If you Google "Hand of God" the initial results are probably not what you might have expected.

Is rest really necessary for holy and whole living? Phil Ware talks about the importance of rest and the Sabbath principle.

Am I more like the wise men who passionately sought to find Jesus or the religious leaders who chose their traditions, positions, and power over Jesus? Phil Ware reminds us that in the familiar story of the wise men is a challenging and life-changing question we must all answer with our choices and with our lives.

Do you really know why God gave us the Bible? The Bible is given to us to help us know God and how to live for God, not to judge others.

Why not listen to the old story and look for something fresh and new? Sometimes we trust too much in what we've learned in the past and things we have learned from our parents rather than seeking the truth ourselves and then living it.

Why in the world would anyone keep this around in their basement? The old Gallows of the city of Chicago were left in the basement for years and years and this reminds Patrick of things that we allow to sit around in our hearts and fester and destroy us for years.

Jesus sees you, my friend, and he has a new version of you waiting to happen. Max Lucado reminds us of Jesus' power do fresh and new things if we will respond to his command to get up and do something.

How do we really help people with low self-esteem? We are given remarkable freedom in Jesus; we can become like him.

Is your storehouse of anger doing you any good? Are you happier? Better? More fun to be with? Max Lucado helps us deal with the hurts of the heart that lead to bitterness, anger, and depression, as we are provoked and frustrated into sullen and negative states of spirit and emotion and mind.