Everything Becomes New Who is Jesus? part 52 - John 4:46-54 My wife and I have been happily married for over 44 years. While our lives have changed a bit, we still have our circle of friends, and our lifestyle has remained mostly the same. Until we had children. Then going out together felt like …
Continue reading The Transformative Teachings of Jesus in John’s Gospel
The Elephant in the Room Who is Jesus? part 51 - John 4:46-51 Some things are often left unspoken. I was taught that politics and religion are not topics for discussion. However, avoiding political conversations has led to political ignorance, support for extremist views, and an increase in fear of foreigners. Ignorance of Jesus' teachings …
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A Maturing Relationship - Song of Songs 6:4-8:4 The Song of Solomon, Part 5 More erotic poetry, and more inuedo. Twice in this long reading (be warned, it's a big one), the man looks at the body of his wife and delights in what he sees. Another warning, a strange one for a Christian blog …
Continue reading The Song of Solomon: Unpacking Its Sensual Imagery
Scoring an own goal Who is Jesus? part 5 - John 4:25-26 I skipped over this one; it would break the chain of thought I was on. This is another example of the evangelist John's sense of humour. 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he …
Revival in the wrong place Who is Jesus? part 49 - John 4:39-45 Ever been in a hurry and chosen the quickest route instead of the safest, only to discover it was safe after all? If yes, read on... 39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I …
Continue reading Lessons from the Samaritan Woman: Faith and Revival
Jesus messes with the disciples Who is Jesus? part 48 - John 4:27-38 One of my traits is that I can get really focused on something and lose track of time, often skipping meals. This isn't great for someone with diabetes. Before marriage and diabetes, I sometimes had my late evening meal, my last meal …
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Where is God worshipped? Who is Jesus? part 47 - John 4:16-26 Where is God worshipped? Many people think of a church or cathedral. When they want to worship, they go to a place. While it's true that people gather to worship, others prefer to be alone. Some may meditate quietly in a room, while …
Continue reading Jesus, Worship, and the Spirit: Insights from John 4
Surprise! Who is Jesus? part 46 - John 4:4-15 I was surprised while studying for this post. There was no straightforward answer to my question, "What is living water?" Many answers discussed its spiritual meaning, but I wanted a simple explanation. I was curious about what a Samaritan woman 2000 years ago would have understood …
The bridegroom is descending Who is Jesus? part 45 – John 3:22-4:3 Brides magazine is no longer available in print but still exists online. When my fiancée and I were planning our wedding, I noticed that 1980s articles focused entirely on the bride: the wedding dress, reception venue, cake, and honeymoon destination were all her …
Continue reading The Role of John the Baptist: A Bridegroom Analogy
Snake on a stick Who is Jesus? part 43 – John 3:12-21 When we had our children, we took a family holiday to Rhodes, Greece. We stayed in Lindos, in a converted fisherman's cottage with a view of the Acropolis. The nearby beach, Saint Paul's Bay, is named after the legend that Saint Paul landed …
Continue reading Lessons from the Snake on a Stick: Biblical Reflections
Making an ass of myself 