“And the truth shall make you free.”

The Dominican coat of arms is seen throughout the country. You can see it at the presidential palace, the police, the military and most coins and paper money!

Who is the author of this Bible verse? It’s Jesus! Don’t you want to know more about this author? Look at those words. What’s important about truth? Put aside all non-truth policies and seek to understand. What is truth? When Jesus was put on trial to be condemned, Pontius Pilate (the Roman Governor) said:

“What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all.  ~John 18:38

Is religion truth? No, it brings lots of disagreements and questions. Truth narrows down and it can be summoned up by Jesus’ teachings because He is truth!

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.  ~John 14:6

This John Bible study is-designed to help find truth! Won’t you join me?

John 21 (Good News translation)

Jesus and the Miraculous Catch of Fish

1 After this, Jesus appeared once more to his disciples at Lake Tiberias. This is how it happened. 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael (the one from Cana in Galilee), the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples of Jesus were all together. 3 Simon Peter said to the others, “I am going fishing.” “We will come with you,” they told him. So they went out in a boat, but all that night they did not catch a thing. 4 As the sun was rising, Jesus stood at the water’s edge, but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Then he asked them, “Young men, haven’t you caught anything?” “Not a thing,” they answered. 6 He said to them, “Throw your net out on the right side of the boat, and you will catch some.” So they threw the net out and could not pull it back in, because they had caught so many fish. 7 The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Peter heard that it was the Lord, he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken his clothes off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples came to shore in the boat, pulling the net full of fish. They were not very far from land, about a hundred yards away. 9 When they stepped ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there with fish on it and some bread. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore full of big fish, a hundred and fifty-three in all; even though there were so many, still the net did not tear. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and eat.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13 So Jesus went over, took the bread, and gave it to them; he did the same with the fish. 14 This, then, was the third time Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from death.

Jesus Reinstates Peter

15 After they had eaten, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Take care of my lambs.” 16 A second time Jesus said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Take care of my sheep.” 17 A third time Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter became sad because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” and so he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you!” Jesus said to him, “Take care of my sheep. 18 I am telling you the truth: when you were young, you used to get ready and go anywhere you wanted to; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you up and take you where you don’t want to go.” 19 (In saying this, Jesus was indicating the way in which Peter would die and bring glory to God.) Then Jesus said to him, “Follow me!” 20 Peter turned around and saw behind him that other disciple, whom Jesus loved – the one who had leaned close to Jesus at the meal and had asked, “Lord, who is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he asked Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus answered him, “If I want him to live until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!” 23 So a report spread among the followers of Jesus that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say he would not die; he said, “If I want him to live until I come, what is that to you?” 24 He is the disciple who spoke of these things, the one who also wrote them down; and we know that what he said is true. 25 Now, there are many other things that Jesus did. If they were all written down one by one, I suppose that the whole world could not hold the books that would be written.

While in Cuba, I bought an “Island of the Evangelist” coin.  Most Cubans are not aware of this coin. I was happy to see Cuba had this coin and connected it to Christopher Columbus and the original island name, “Island of the Evangelist!”

Today it is called “Island of Youth.” This name was given to the island in 1976 with the new political-administrative division. This island has had several other names including “Island of Parrots” and “Island of Treasure.”

When you look at the scriptures, I think of Paul speaking to Timothy. In  II Timothy 4:5,  Paul writes:

As for you,  always be sober-minded,  endure suffering,  do the work of an evangelist,  fulfill your ministry.

Just as Paul encouraged Timothy, I want to encourage YOU to present the Good News to people that they too might have their sins forgiven and have eternal life!

John 19 (Good News translation)

Jesus Sentenced to Be Crucified

1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him whipped. 2 The soldiers made a crown out of thorny branches and put it on his head; then they put a purple robe on him 3 and came to him and said, “Long live the King of the Jews!” And they went up and slapped him. 4 Pilate went back out once more and said to the crowd, “Look, I will bring him out here to you to let you see that I cannot find any reason to condemn him.” 5 So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Look! Here is the man!” 6 When the chief priests and the Temple guards saw him, they shouted, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “You take him, then, and crucify him. I find no reason to condemn him.” 7 The crowd answered back, “We have a law that says he ought to die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.” 8 When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid. 9 He went back into the palace and asked Jesus, “Where do you come from?” But Jesus did not answer. 10 Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Remember, I have the authority to set you free and also to have you crucified.” 11 Jesus answered, “You have authority over me only because it was given to you by God. So the man who handed me over to you is guilty of a worse sin.” 12 When Pilate heard this, he tried to find a way to set Jesus free. But the crowd shouted back, “If you set him free, that means that you are not the Emperor’s friend! Anyone who claims to be a king is a rebel against the Emperor!” 13 When Pilate heard these words, he took Jesus outside and sat down on the judge’s seat in the place called “The Stone Pavement.” (In Hebrew the name is “Gabbatha.”) 14 It was then almost noon of the day before the Passover. Pilate said to the people, “Here is your king!” 15 They shouted back, “Kill him! Kill him! Crucify him!” Pilate asked them, “Do you want me to crucify your king?” The chief priests answered, “The only king we have is the Emperor!” 16 Then Pilate handed Jesus over to them to be crucified. So they took charge of Jesus. 17 He went out, carrying his cross, and came to “The Place of the Skull,” as it is called. (In Hebrew it is called “Golgotha.”) 18 There they crucified him; and they also crucified two other men, one on each side, with Jesus between them.

The Crucifixion

19 Pilate wrote a notice and had it put on the cross. “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews,” is what he wrote. 20 Many people read it, because the place where Jesus was crucified was not far from the city. The notice was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. 21 The chief priests said to Pilate, “Do not write “The King of the Jews,’ but rather, “This man said, I am the King of the Jews.’ ” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written stays written.” 23 After the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier. They also took the robe, which was made of one piece of woven cloth without any seams in it. 24 The soldiers said to one another, “Let’s not tear it; let’s throw dice to see who will get it.” This happened in order to make the scripture come true: “They divided my clothes among themselves and gambled for my robe.” And this is what the soldiers did. 25 Standing close to Jesus’ cross were his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing there; so he said to his mother, “He is your son.” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “She is your mother.” From that time the disciple took her to live in his home.

The Death of Jesus

28 Jesus knew that by now everything had been completed; and in order to make the scripture come true, he said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A bowl was there, full of cheap wine; so a sponge was soaked in the wine, put on a stalk of hyssop, and lifted up to his lips. 30 Jesus drank the wine and said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. 31 Then the Jewish authorities asked Pilate to allow them to break the legs of the men who had been crucified, and to take the bodies down from the crosses. They requested this because it was Friday, and they did not want the bodies to stay on the crosses on the Sabbath, since the coming Sabbath was especially holy. 32 So the soldiers went and broke the legs of the first man and then of the other man who had been crucified with Jesus. 33 But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they did not break his legs. 34 One of the soldiers, however, plunged his spear into Jesus’ side, and at once blood and water poured out 35 (The one who saw this happen has spoken of it, so that you also may believe. What he said is true, and he knows that he speaks the truth.) 36 This was done to make the scripture come true: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” 37 And there is another scripture that says, “People will look at him whom they pierced.”

The Burial of Jesus

38 After this, Joseph, who was from the town of Arimathea, asked Pilate if he could take Jesus’ body. (Joseph was a follower of Jesus, but in secret, because he was afraid of the Jewish authorities.) Pilate told him he could have the body, so Joseph went and took it away. 39 Nicodemus, who at first had gone to see Jesus at night, went with Joseph, taking with him about one hundred pounds of spices, a mixture of myrrh and aloes. 40 The two men took Jesus’ body and wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices according to the Jewish custom of preparing a body for burial. 41 There was a garden in the place where Jesus had been put to death, and in it there was a new tomb where no one had ever been buried. 42 Since it was the day before the Sabbath and because the tomb was close by, they placed Jesus’ body there.

The United States has the words “in God we trust.” You look at other countries and their coins have Biblical concepts also! The African coin has “feeding the poor of the world.”  These Biblical concepts are great qualities for any Christian to have! If you ever noticed the Switzerland flag, it has a white cross on it. Their coin also has a cross.

These coins are great examples that the Bible has made an impact on our world. You can’t deny that! That reminds me of a book that was written by the late Dr. D. James Kennedy.  What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? This is a great book for anyone to read!

I enjoy looking at coins to know the history of our country as well as other countries. Jesus has made a difference and the Bible was written so that you can live an abundant life!

Do you want to know more about Jesus and the teachings of Jesus? Join me and let’s look at the Bible and study it in the book of John study! Won’t you join me?

The red cross is because Jesus died on the cross and shed his blood for our sins!

The founder of Red Cross was a Swiss banker named Henry Dunant. Today the Red Cross still carries the emblem that signifies the blood of Jesus. You can also see the red cross on an ambulance!

Now look at the medical symbol that you might see at your Doctor’s office. What does the snake have to do with the Doctor?

The snake has everything to do with Moses from the Bible! John 3:14 says:

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life.

I have had people respond that the snake from the medical emblem comes from Greek mythology. Yes, that could well be true. But dig a little deeper!

What about before Greek mythology? Look in the Hebrew scriptures in Numbers 21:9. You find that Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on the standard; and it came about, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived.

Whether we look at the Red Cross  or a medical emblem, we see the history of those who trusted in Biblical principals. Let’s study the Bible and see what it says for ourselves!

How do you get across a ravine like this?

This was the Kinzua Bridge. Years ago, this bridge served many communities in Northern Pennsylvania. Today the bridge is gone, knocked down by erosion. The railroad trains would cross it and the bridge was the structure that allowed the train to cross the gap.

There is also a Biblical concept to being a bridge builder or a Pontifex.  Before God, are you helping others get across the gap to know God? How can you be a bridge builder as a Christian? How about helping someone know the teachings of Jesus from this John Study? What are you doing to bridge the gap of those who don’t know Him? Are you a bridge builder?

To find out what Jesus taught about the church, look at John 4 with Jesus and the Samaritan woman:

“My Samaritan ancestors worshiped God on this mountain, but you Jews say that Jerusalem is the place where we should worship God.”

Jesus said to her, “Believe me, woman, the time will come when people will not worship the Father either on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You Samaritans do not really know whom you worship; but we Jews know whom we worship, because it is from the Jews that salvation comes. But the time is coming and is already here, when by the power of God’s Spirit people will worship the Father as he really is, offering him the true worship that he wants. God is Spirit, and only by the power of his Spirit can people worship him as he really is.”

Looking at the teaching of Jesus, what did Jesus say about religion? Jesus was saying that neither the Jerusalem church or the Samaritan church is the true church.  God is seeking true worshipers! True worship comes from a personal relationship with Him from people who are seeking Him!

Jesus is not seeking a church but rather people who are humbly seeking Him.

Dates show our world history timeline. The method of our dating system is a chronological marker. The first and simplest method of absolute dating is using objects with dates inscribed on them. Coins are great examples because they are associated with historical events or documents! Coins are artifacts that give tangible evidence that something happened.

The Eisenhower coin says, "In God we trust"

Our numbering system show our dates are based on the birth of Jesus Christ.  (B.C) U.S. and Latin country coins are great examples of dates that everyone understands.  If we use a dating system based on the birth of Jesus, don’t you want to know more about Him?

Who is Jesus? What did Jesus teach? I like to look at Nicodemus from John 3:

Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”

“How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!”

Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’

Do you want to know more about Jesus? Let’s look at the book of John for the truth of Jesus and his teachings! Do you want to join me?

John 12 (Good News translation)

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, the man he had raised from death. 2 They prepared a dinner for him there, which Martha helped serve; Lazarus was one of those who were sitting at the table with Jesus. 3 Then Mary took a whole pint of a very expensive perfume made of pure nard, poured it on Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The sweet smell of the perfume filled the whole house. 4 One of Jesus’ disciples, Judas Iscariot – the one who was going to betray him – said, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred silver coins  and the money given to the poor?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. He carried the money bag and would help himself from it. 7 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone! Let her keep what she has for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have poor people with you, but you will not always have me.” 9 A large number of people heard that Jesus was in Bethany, so they went there, not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from death. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus too, 11 because on his account many Jews were rejecting them and believing in Jesus.

The Triumphal Entry

12 The next day the large crowd that had come to the Passover Festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, “Praise God! God bless him who comes in the name of the Lord! God bless the King of Israel!”  14 Jesus found a donkey and rode on it, just as the scripture says, 15 “Do not be afraid, city of Zion! Here comes your king, riding on a young donkey.” 16 His disciples did not understand this at the time; but when Jesus had been raised to glory, they remembered that the scripture said this about him and that they had done this for him. 17 The people who had been with Jesus when he called Lazarus out of the grave and raised him from death had reported what had happened. 18 That was why the crowd met him – because they heard that he had performed this miracle. 19 The Pharisees then said to one another, “You see, we are not succeeding at all! Look, the whole world is following him!”

Jesus Predicts His Death

20 Some Greeks were among those who had gone to Jerusalem to worship during the festival. 21 They went to Philip (he was from Bethsaida in Galilee) and said, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew, and the two of them went and told Jesus. 23 Jesus answered them, “The hour has now come for the Son of Man to receive great glory. 24 I am telling you the truth: a grain of wheat remains no more than a single grain unless it is dropped into the ground and dies. If it does die, then it produces many grains. 25 Those who love their own life will lose it; those who hate their own life in this world will keep it for life eternal. 26 Whoever wants to serve me must follow me, so that my servant will be with me where I am. And my Father will honor anyone who serves me. 27 “Now my heart is troubled – and what shall I say? Shall I say, “Father, do not let this hour come upon me’? But that is why I came – so that I might go through this hour of suffering. 28 Father, bring glory to your name!” Then a voice spoke from heaven, “I have brought glory to it, and I will do so again.” 29 The crowd standing there heard the voice, and some of them said it was thunder, while others said, “An angel spoke to him!” 30 But Jesus said to them, “It was not for my sake that this voice spoke, but for yours. 31 Now is the time for this world to be judged; now the ruler of this world will be overthrown. 32 When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to me. 33 (In saying this he indicated the kind of death he was going to suffer.) 34 The crowd answered, “Our Law tells us that the Messiah will live forever. How, then, can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35 Jesus answered, “The light will be among you a little longer. Continue on your way while you have the light, so that the darkness will not come upon you; for the one who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. 36 Believe in the light, then, while you have it, so that you will be the people of the light.” After Jesus said this, he went off and hid himself from them.

The Jews Continue in Their Unbelief

37 Even though he had performed all these miracles in their presence, they did not believe in him, 38 so that what the prophet Isaiah had said might come true:  “Lord, who believed the message we told? To whom did the Lord reveal his power?” 39 And so they were not able to believe, because Isaiah also said, 40 “God has blinded their eyes and closed their minds, so that their eyes would not see, and their minds would not understand, and they would not turn to me, says God, for me to heal them.” 41 Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him. 42 Even then, many Jewish authorities believed in Jesus; but because of the Pharisees they did not talk about it openly, so as not to be expelled from the synagogue. 43 They loved human approval rather than the approval of God. 44 Jesus said in a loud voice, “Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in him who sent me. 45 Whoever sees me sees also him who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness. 47 If people hear my message and do not obey it, I will not judge them. I came, not to judge the world, but to save it. 48 Those who reject me and do not accept my message have one who will judge them. The words I have spoken will be their judge on the last day! 49 This is true, because I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has commanded me what I must say and speak. 50 And I know that his command brings eternal life. What I say, then, is what the Father has told me to say.”

I hope you are learning about the One who give life to the fullest!! Join me and read John 10 and find out how you can have abundant life in Him!!

John 10 (Good News translation)

I Am the Good Shepherd

1 Jesus said, “I am telling you the truth: the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The man who goes in through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him; the sheep hear his voice as he calls his own sheep by name, and he leads them out. 4 When he has brought them out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice. 5 They will not follow someone else; instead, they will run away from such a person, because they do not know his voice.” 6 Jesus told them this parable, but they did not understand what he meant. 7 So Jesus said again, “I am telling you the truth: I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All others who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate. Those who come in by me will be saved; they will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life – life in all its fullness. 11 “I am the good shepherd, who is willing to die for the sheep. 12 When the hired man, who is not a shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees a wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and runs away; so the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hired man runs away because he is only a hired man and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. As the Father knows me and I know the Father, in the same way I know my sheep and they know me. And I am willing to die for them. 16 There are other sheep which belong to me that are not in this sheep pen. I must bring them, too; they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock with one shepherd. 17 “The Father loves me because I am willing to give up my life, in order that I may receive it back again. 18 No one takes my life away from me. I give it up of my own free will. I have the right to give it up, and I have the right to take it back. This is what my Father has commanded me to do.” 19 Again there was a division among the people because of these words. 20 Many of them were saying, “He has a demon! He is crazy! Why do you listen to him?” 21 But others were saying, “A man with a demon could not talk like this! How could a demon give sight to blind people?”

I and the Father Are One

22 It was winter, and the Festival of the Dedication of the Temple was being celebrated in Jerusalem. 23 Jesus was walking in Solomon’s Porch in the Temple, 24 when the people gathered around him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? Tell us the plain truth: are you the Messiah?” 25 Jesus answered, “I have already told you, but you would not believe me. The deeds I do by my Father’s authority speak on my behalf; 26 but you will not believe, for you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never die. No one can snatch them away from me. 29 What my Father has given me is greater than everything, and no one can snatch them away from the Father’s care. 30 The Father and I are one.” 31 Then the people again picked up stones to throw at him. 32 Jesus said to them, “I have done many good deeds in your presence which the Father gave me to do; for which one of these do you want to stone me?” 33 They answered, “We do not want to stone you because of any good deeds, but because of your blasphemy! You are only a man, but you are trying to make yourself God!” 34 Jesus answered, “It is written in your own Law that God said, “You are gods.’ 35 We know that what the scripture says is true forever; and God called those people gods, the people to whom his message was given. 36 As for me, the Father chose me and sent me into the world. How, then, can you say that I blaspheme because I said that I am the Son of God? 37 Do not believe me, then, if I am not doing the things my Father wants me to do. 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, you should at least believe my deeds, in order that you may know once and for all that the Father is in me and that I am in the Father.” 39 Once more they tried to seize Jesus, but he slipped out of their hands. 40 Jesus then went back again across the Jordan River to the place where John had been baptizing, and he stayed there. 41 Many people came to him. “John performed no miracles,” they said, “but everything he said about this man was true.” 42 And many people there believed in him.

John 7 (Good News translation)

Jesus Goes to the Feast of Tabernacles

1 After this, Jesus traveled in Galilee; he did not want to travel in Judea, because the Jewish authorities there were wanting to kill him. 2 The time for the Festival of Shelters was near, 3 so Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave this place and go to Judea, so that your followers will see the things that you are doing. 4 People don’t hide what they are doing if they want to be well known. Since you are doing these things, let the whole world know about you! 5 (Not even his brothers believed in him.) 6 Jesus said to them, “The right time for me has not yet come. Any time is right for you. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me, because I keep telling it that its ways are bad. 8 You go on to the festival. I am not going to this festival, because the right time has not come for me.” 9 He said this and then stayed on in Galilee. 10 After his brothers had gone to the festival, Jesus also went; however, he did not go openly, but secretly. 11 The Jewish authorities were looking for him at the festival. “Where is he?” they asked. 12 There was much whispering about him in the crowd. “He is a good man,” some people said. “No,” others said, “he fools the people.” 13 But no one talked about him openly, because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities.

Jesus Teaches at the Feast

14 The festival was nearly half over when Jesus went to the Temple and began teaching. 15 The Jewish authorities were greatly surprised and said, “How does this man know so much when he has never been to school?” 16 Jesus answered, “What I teach is not my own teaching, but it comes from God, who sent me. 17 Whoever is willing to do what God wants will know whether what I teach comes from God or whether I speak on my own authority.  18 Those who speak on their own authority are trying to gain glory for themselves. But he who wants glory for the one who sent him is honest, and there is nothing false in him. 19 Moses gave you the Law, didn’t he? But not one of you obeys the Law. Why are you trying to kill me?” 20 “You have a demon in you!” the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you?” 21 Jesus answered, “I performed one miracle, and you were all surprised. 22 Moses ordered you to circumcise your sons (although it was not Moses but your ancestors who started it), and so you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath. 23 If a boy is circumcised on the Sabbath so that Moses’ Law is not broken, why are you angry with me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? 24 Stop judging by external standards, and judge by true standards.”

Is Jesus the Christ?

25 Some of the people of Jerusalem said, “Isn’t this the man the authorities are trying to kill? 26 Look! He is talking in public, and they say nothing against him! Can it be that they really know that he is the Messiah? 27 But when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from. And we all know where this man comes from.” 28 As Jesus taught in the Temple, he said in a loud voice, “Do you really know me and know where I am from? I have not come on my own authority. He who sent me, however, is truthful. You do not know him, 29 but I know him, because I come from him and he sent me.” 30 Then they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 But many in the crowd believed in him and said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more miracles than this man has?” 32 The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering these things about Jesus, so they and the chief priests sent some guards to arrest him. 33 Jesus said, “I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I shall go away to him who sent me. 34 You will look for me, but you will not find me, because you cannot go where I will be.” 35 The Jewish authorities said among themselves, “Where is he about to go so that we shall not find him? Will he go to the Greek cities where our people live, and teach the Greeks? 36 He says that we will look for him but will not find him, and that we cannot go where he will be. What does he mean?” 37 On the last and most important day of the festival Jesus stood up and said in a loud voice, “Whoever is thirsty should come to me, and 38 whoever believes in me should drink. As the scripture says, “Streams of life-giving water will pour out from his side.’ ” 39 Jesus said this about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were going to receive. At that time the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not been raised to glory. 40 Some of the people in the crowd heard him say this and said, “This man is really the Prophet!” 41 Others said, “He is the Messiah!” But others said, “The Messiah will not come from Galilee! 42 The scripture says that the Messiah will be a descendant of King David and will be born in Bethlehem, the town where David lived.” 43 So there was a division in the crowd because of Jesus. 44 Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.

Unbelief of the Jewish Leaders

45 When the guards went back, the chief priests and Pharisees asked them, “Why did you not bring him?” 46 The guards answered, “Nobody has ever talked the way this man does!” 47 “Did he fool you, too?” the Pharisees asked them. 48 “Have you ever known one of the authorities or one Pharisee to believe in him? 49 This crowd does not know the Law of Moses, so they are under God’s curse!” 50 One of the Pharisees there was Nicodemus, the man who had gone to see Jesus before. He said to the others, 51 “According to our Law we cannot condemn people before hearing them and finding out what they have done.” 52 “Well,” they answered, “are you also from Galilee? Study the Scriptures and you will learn that no prophet ever comes from Galilee.”

Several weeks ago, a family from Toysa were told that if someone needed healing they should visit our church, the Batikent Protestant Church in Ankara. The family was concerned for their 40 year old relative, a man mentally disturbed and habitually walking the streets as a crazy man.

The man was filthy with a long unkempt beard, urine stained pants, and fingernails over an inch long. He could not talk, he was not in his right mind, and he had been in this condition for about 5-6 years. The relatives asked our Pastor if there was anything he could do to help. Our Pastor said, “Jesus can help, but you must believe that He can help.” The relatives said, “If we didn’t believe He could help would we have come 5 hours to see you?” Our Pastor then gave the man a long hug, placed his fingers in his ears and prayed for him. When he finished praying the crazy man surprised everyone by asking, “Why did you put your fingers in my ears?” He could speak!

Later, for the first time in 5 years the man was able to tell them his name. A week later the church received a phone call from his relatives saying that the man was now cleaned up, no longer wandering the streets, and still in his right mind!

The interesting thing is that the day before this family came to our church; the missionary pastor had just made a motorcycle trip to their town to meet with another seeker. When the family of the healed man learned this they asked the missionary pastor to visit them also!

We are praying that God will use the testimony of this man’s healing to open up the people of Toysa to the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

There are many Christian miracles today. God is the same yesterday, today and forever! In the Gospel of John, there are numerous miracles that Jesus did. (The first one is seen in John 2 where Jesus turns the water into wine at the wedding in Cana)

The greatest miracle of all was when Jesus came to this earth in human form so He could die for our sins!! (See John, Chapter 3, verse 16) Don’t you want to know Him?

In the book of John, Chapter 6, Jesus says,

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. “I am the bread of life.”

Wow! What great news. Jesus has life for you and me!

In Matthew 16, Jesus says it is costly to follow him.

“If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.“For whoever wishes to save his Or soul life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?”

Jesus also speaks about a new spiritual life. In John 3, Jesus says,

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born Or from above again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

But God also demonstrated his love. In John 3, Jesus says,

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His Or unique, only one of His kind only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.“For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”

Do you want a new life or a new beginning? Then pray and ask Jesus to come into your life. If you believe it with your heart, He will wipe away your sins and give you a new life!

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, Or there is a new creation he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

If you prayed this prayer and want help getting to know your Savior and friend, contact me today and I will help you start a book of John study.

Get the gift of life and have a new beginning in Jesus!

Merry Christmas!

As children, we are told the story of the Pilgrims at Thanksgiving.They arrived in America in December 1620 and experienced a harsh winter of extreme hunger and starvation in which half of them died! The following summer, the Pilgrims reaped a bountiful harvest. Pilgrim Edward Winslow affirmed, “God be praised, we had a good increase of corn and by the goodness of God, we are far from want.”

The grateful Pilgrims then declared a three-day feast in December 1621 to thank God and to celebrate with their friends. Ninety Wampanoag Indians joined the fifty Pilgrims for three days of food and prayer. (Some of the food included shellfish, lobsters, turkey, corn bread, berries, and deer.) This celebration was America’s first Thanksgiving festival. It was the origin of the holiday that Americans now celebrate each November.

The first national Thanksgiving was proclaimed in 1789 by President George Washington. After President Washington, national Thanksgiving proclamations were sporadic. By 1815, state governments had issued no less than 1,400 official prayer proclamations, almost half of which were for days of thanksgiving and prayer.

Then, in the first half of the nineteenth century, Mrs. Sarah Josepha Hale began to lobby for a national Day of Thanksgiving. For nearly three decades, she contacted president after president until Abraham Lincoln responded in 1863 by setting aside the last Thursday of that November.

Over the next seventy-five years, presidents faithfully followed Lincoln’s precedent, annually declaring a national Thanksgiving Day, but the date of the celebrations varied widely. In 1933, President Franklin Roosevelt celebrated Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November and maintained that date year by year throughout his presidency. In 1941, Congress permanently established the fourth Thursday in November as the national Thanksgiving holiday.

So, what is the purpose of Thanksgiving? To thank God for His blessings! Have you thanked God today? In John 6, Jesus thanked our Heavenly Father when he ate food. Not even Jesus, the son of God took food for granted! We don’t have to wait for a holiday to thank God. We can thank Him every day!

To get the complete history and purpose of Thanksgiving, visit Wallbuilders.

Life is a little like that. You and I will live eternally. Not here on this earth! Typically humans live 75-85 years and we die because our bodies are decaying.

But our souls don’t die and we live for eternity.

So you ask the question, “How can we live forever? How can life be eternal? And what scripture is there to stand behind that statement?”

That is why this blog was put together. To study the book of John that you might know the assurance of eternal life.  Email me so I can help you study the book of John or read my other web pages and find out how life is eternal! Scripture will show this to you and you can come to know God’s free gift of salvation!

The author of JOHN wrote this book in the bible…

That we might read?

That we might understand?

That we might KNOW that JESUS is the CHRIST and that believing on HIM we might have eternal life. We need to read the chapters of JOHN slowly, letting the Spirit of GOD speak to us.

I invite you to join me for this Gospel of John bible study so that you also can let God speak to you through the Holy Bible.  Won’t you join me?