“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 ESV). True peace is not found in a trouble-free place, but in an overcoming Person. This peace is not about the absence of trouble,
“But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’” (John 15:25 ESV). As Jesus prepared His disciples for the hatred they would face from the world, He pointed them to the Scriptures. He reminded them that the world’s rejection of Him was not a surprise, but
“Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.” (Psalm 119:37 ESV). The psalmist pleads with God to redirect his focus. He recognizes the danger of being drawn to “worthless things”—empty pursuits, fleeting pleasures, and distractions that dull our hearts and steal our attention. In contrast, he longs for
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34–35 ESV). As Jesus prepared to leave His disciples, He gave
“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11 ESV). The psalmist expresses a heartfelt commitment to internalize God’s Word. To “store up” or “hide” His Word in the heart means more than casual reading or occasional reflection. It is a deliberate act of treasuring God’s
“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (John 12:32 ESV). These words of Jesus come after a striking moment in John’s Gospel. Some Greeks had come to the feast and expressed a desire to see Jesus. Rather than responding directly to their request, Jesus declared that
“His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him.” (John 12:16 ESV). John reflects on the moment when Jesus entered Jerusalem, fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah by riding on a young donkey. At
“Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.” (Proverbs 15:22 ESV). This proverb teaches us that success is often found by those who humbly seek the wise counsel of others. When we act independently without guidance, we are prone to missteps. But when we surround ourselves with wise, godly advisers, our plans are
“When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, ‘Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.’” (1 Samuel 24:1 ESV). David’s time in the wilderness of En Gedi was not merely a season of hiding—it was a season of refining. Though he was anointed to be king, he found himself running for his
“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.” (John 10:14–15 ESV). Jesus calls Himself the good shepherd, setting Himself apart from the unfaithful leaders of Israel who failed to