You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light. —II Samuel 22:29 Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord. —Proverbs 16:20 ‘For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8).  One day we did not just say, “Hey, I think I will come out of the darkness and be a child of the Lord and have light in the Lord.”  No… “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of…

On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.  For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit…. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” —Acts 1:4-5, 8 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty). —Acts 1:15 I lift up my eyes to the…

He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” —John 21:17              Yes, our Lord knows all things.  I love Him and He knows that.  Do you love Him?  He knows the answer to that as well.  And “We love him, because he first loved us“ (I John 4:19).  Evidence that we love Him is that “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them” (John 14:21).  Yes, those who love Him want to “keep his commands and do what…

He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” —John 21:17              Yes, our Lord knows all things.  I love Him and He knows that.  Do you love Him?  He knows the answer to that as well.  And “We love him, because he first loved us“ (I John 4:19).  Evidence that we love Him is that “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them” (John 14:21).  Yes, those who love Him want to “keep his commands and do what…

Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”  But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”  A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”  Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it…

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.”  With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. —John 19:30              When Jesus said, “It is finished” —“everything has been accomplished which by the appointment of the Father as revealed in the Scriptures I must do and bear.”  “No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them—the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough—so that they should live on forever and not see decay… But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself.” —Psalm 49:7-9, 15 The…

Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?”  He denied it, saying, “I am not.”  One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow. —John 18:25-27 The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.” —John 19:7 “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize…

In all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the top of his head to the sole of his foot there was no blemish in him. —II Samuel 14:25 And Absalom would add, “If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice.” —II Samuel 15:4 Then Absalom sent secret messengers throughout the tribes of Israel to say, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets, then say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron.’” —II Samuel 15:10 A messenger came and told…

In the course of time, Amnon son of David fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of Absalom son of David.  Amnon became so obsessed with his sister Tamar that he made himself ill. She was a virgin, and it seemed impossible for him to do anything to her.   II Samuel 13:1-2 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food here into my bedroom so I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the bread she had prepared and brought it to her brother Amnon in his bedroom. But when she took it to him to eat, he grabbed her and said, “Come to bed with me, my sister.” …

He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” —II Samuel 12:22-23 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” —John 16:33              Jesus made it very clear that “In this world you will have trouble.”  These troubles (trials and sorrows) take many…