September 23, 2025
In John chapter five, Jesus healed a lame man who was lying by the pool of Bethesda. This man had been ill for 38 years and Jesus healed him by simply telling him to get up, pick up his pallet and walk. (John 5:8) While one might expect that this great miracle and blessing bestowed on this man would induce great rejoicing in those who heard of it, quite the opposite occurred. Jesus healed the man on the Sabbath day, and because of that, the Jewish leaders persecuted Him. They even sought to kill Him. Why? Because Jesus said these words: “… ‘My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.’” (John 5:17 NASB95)
Why did this statement so enrage the Jews? The next verse explains: “…because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.” (John 5:18 NASB95) They were not wrong. Jesus was indeed claiming equality with God, and in His teaching in the following verses, He reinforced this claim very clearly in multiple ways. But how is Jesus’ claim to be working on the Sabbath a claim of equality with God?
The creation account in Genesis tells us that on the seventh day (the Sabbath) God rested from His work which He had done (Genesis 2:2-3). God made the Sabbath for man as a day of rest, but does God work on the Sabbath? He certainly does. People are born and people die on the Sabbath. The sun shines, the rain falls, and the crops grow on the Sabbath day. People can be healed from disease on the Sabbath. We could multiply examples. Aren’t all of these things the work of God? In fact, if God stopped working on the Sabbath day, the entire universe and everything in it would cease to exist!
So, when Jesus said that He works on the Sabbath just as God does, He was clearly claiming to be more than a mere human. Man was to rest on the Sabbath, as commanded. But just as God has the divine prerogative to continue His work on the Sabbath, Jesus, too has that divine prerogative! Thus, He made Himself equal to God!
What is the takeaway for us? If Jesus is God (and He is!) we had better listen very carefully to His word! Because Jesus is God, He also has the right and the ability to judge, to raise the dead and to give eternal life to whomever He wishes (see John 5:19-29). Jesus said to the Jews of that day, and His words remain true today, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” (John 5:24 NASB95). Are you listening to the words of Jesus and believing in Him? Jesus is God the Son! Let us listen to His almighty voice!
—Scott Colvin
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Posted by Scott Colvin
August 19, 2025
In John chapter 4, Jesus spoke these profound words to the Samaritan woman after asking her for a drink of water from the well: “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” (John 4:10 NASB95) The woman is initially confused and perhaps a bit resistant, but Jesus continues, “… Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14 NASB95) What does this mean? Let’s take a closer look.
We learn more about this living water in chapter 7, when Jesus stands up at the feast and cries out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive…” (John 7:37-39a) So, we see that the living water Jesus is offering is a reference to the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God is like a fountain or a river of water that flows from our inner being.
There is a thirst within all people, modern and ancient, for something that will satisfy the soul. There is a yearning for meaning and wholeness. Man tries to fulfill this desire with earthly things—worldly pleasures, wealth, career, substances, and the like—but these things will never take away the inner longing. The thirst will always return. But what Jesus is offering is a never-ending source of life that will truly satisfy. The Spirit of God, dwelling within us, brings satisfaction. He brings joy and peace! He brings true life! With the Spirit dwelling within us, our souls become like well-watered, fruitful gardens which bring forth His beautiful fruit. The water is a blessing not only to our own souls, but as it flows forth, it brings refreshment to those around us.
But notice that we have to come to Jesus for this living water. We have to ask Him. We have to believe in Him (and continue to believe). If we spend our lives living with one foot in Jesus and one foot in the world, we will deprive ourselves of the living water. But if we will continue to trust in Jesus and follow His voice, He will grant life and peace through His Spirit. The living water will spring up to eternal life.
—Scott Colvin
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Posted by Scott Colvin
August 12, 2025
In John chapter 3, Jesus said to Nicodemus, “…Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5 NASB95) What does it mean to be born of water and the Spirit?
First, let us notice the absolute need to be born again—from above. No one will be able to enter God’s kingdom without this radical change, this complete transformation from above. But how can a person be born again? That was exactly the question that Nicodemus asked. Jesus’ answer: One is born again of water and the Spirit. But what does that mean?
To understand Jesus’ words, we need to consider the historical context. What would have come to Nicodemus’ mind when he heard “water and the Spirit”? At that time, John the Baptist was going around the region baptizing multitudes of people in water—an event that would have been the talk of all of Israel. Jesus Himself was baptized by John. When He came up out of the water, the heavens were torn open, and the Spirit of God came down upon Jesus as God announced to all that Jesus is His beloved Son. These things created quite a stir among the religious leaders and all of the people. Water and Spirit would have been on the minds of everyone, including Nicodemus.
Furthermore, we have other scriptures that show us what being born of water and the Spirit means. Water and Spirit show up together in other passages. For example, think of Acts 2:38, which says, “Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” (Acts 2:38 NASB95) Baptism and the Spirit appear together here. Or how about Paul’s words to Titus: “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,” (Titus 3:5 NASB95) Here we have washing and the Holy Spirit appearing together. Or what about these words, where the Spirit and baptism occur together again: “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:13 NASB95)
So, what do we learn? One is born again of water and the Spirit when they are baptized into Christ. That is the time at which the new birth happens, by the power and working of God. We come up out of the water as a new person, born again from above. Fundamentally changed by God. Of course, all of this is made possible by Jesus, the One who was lifted up on the cross for all to look to in faith for salvation. Baptism is an expression of that faith in Jesus, and the time at which, by God’s grace, we are made new by the Holy Spirit. Have you been born again? If so, are you still walking in the new life God has granted you?
—Scott Colvin
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Posted by Scott Colvin
August 7, 2025
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” (John 1:1-2 NASB95)
These opening words of the gospel of John have been thought of by many as an overture that beautifully introduces the coming symphony. These words frame how we are to see and understand the rest of John’s gospel. With the phrase, “In the beginning,” John calls to mind the opening words of Genesis which tells us about God’s creation of the universe. Here in John’s gospel, we will be told of a new creation which God is bringing about through the Word. “In the beginning was the Word.” The Word already existed in the beginning. John wants us to know that the Word is not a created being but existed from all eternity.
“The Word was with God.” Not only did the word exist from the beginning, but He existed in the closest possible fellowship with God, so much so that it can be said, “The Word was God.” John is not saying that the Word had some divine qualities, but that the Word “is fully God.” (NET) The Word, in His essence, was fully deity, just as God the Father is. Or we might say, what God is, the Word is.
Who is the Word that John speaks of? We find that answer in verse fourteen which says, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 NASB95) As this sentence indicates, and the rest of the gospel shows us, the Word is Jesus Christ. And so, we learn this profound truth: Jesus is God. He is God the Son. Everything that God is, Jesus is. As the author of Hebrews says of Jesus, “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power…” (Hebrews 1:3 NASB95)
God has expressed Himself to mankind through the Word. God has revealed to us who He is by sending His Son Jesus to “tabernacle” among us. Jesus is the exact representation of God’s nature. When we look at the glory of Jesus, we see the glory of God. And Jesus, as I write, is upholding all things by the word of His power.
Given all of this, what an amazing thought it is that God in the flesh came down to die for us. Through the death of God the Son, those of us who have received Him have received eternal life. We have become children of God. We have been born again as a new creation. Let us praise God for this amazing truth.
—Scott Colvin
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Posted by Scott Colvin
June 10, 2025
In this dry and weary land in which we live, in this world of noise and stress, we often need renewal in our inner being. Where do you turn when your soul needs to be refreshed? I like how the old hymn we sing puts it: “But when my soul needs manna from above, where could I go but to the Lord?”1 There is a great truth here. Only the Lord can renew and restore our souls. There is no other true source of inner renewal.
David knew this truth. Listen to his words in Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul.” (Psalm 23:1-3 NASB95) The word “restore” here can mean that God brings our soul back when we stray from Him, as a shepherd brings back a wandering sheep. It can also mean that God brings back liveliness and vitality to our inner being2. Biblically speaking, both senses are true and certainly needed.
Listen to the words of David in Psalm 63: “O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1 NASB95) David found himself in a dry and weary land, both literally and figuratively speaking. I’m sure we have felt the same at times. The world we live in can be harsh and dry and can sap the vitality right out of us. But we, like David, can find refreshment from God. As David ponders the power, the glory, and the love of God in this Psalm, and as he turns to worship God, he exclaims, “My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth offers praises with joyful lips.” (Psalm 63:5 NASB95) David found deep, inner satisfaction from contemplating God and His goodness.
In Psalm 19:7, David writes, “The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul…” (Psalm 19:7 NASB95) The word of God can restore our soul. It can bring us back to the right path when we stray. It can reach into our hearts and give us an inner liveliness again.
Where do you turn when your soul needs renewal? Where could we go but to the Lord? As we worship God today and hear His word, may He grant renewal for our souls!
—Scott Colvin
- “Where Could I Go?” Lyrics by J.B. Coats
- Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (HALOT)
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Posted by Scott Colvin
May 20, 2025
In Psalm 25, David makes a plea to God, asking Him to be his teacher. “Make me know Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You I wait all the day.” (Psalm 25:4–5 NASB95) Have you ever asked God to be your teacher? I’m convinced that God will be pleased to hear this prayer from us and to answer it. But who is it that the Lord will teach?
God will teach those who wait for Him. To wait on God is to rely on Him. It is to set your hope on Him and expect that He will answer you. God is looking at us to see if we trust Him and Him alone. He is pleased to help those who wait on Him.
Who will God teach? It is the one who is humble. “He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way.” (Psalm 25:9, NASB95) In order to be taught, we must be teachable. This is the essence of humility—being teachable. The humble person does not think too highly of themselves or their own knowledge, and therefore they are ready and willing to receive wisdom from God. If we begin to believe that we have arrived or that we already know everything, we should not expect to receive any additional insight from God. But God is pleased to teach the humble in His way.
Who will God teach? It is the one who fears Him. “Who is the man who fears the Lord? He will instruct him in the way he should choose.” (Psalm 25:12 NASB95) The person who fears the Lord stands in awe of who He is. They recognize His power, His wisdom, and His holiness. The one who fears the Lord will be diligent to stay away from the path of sin because they have a healthy dread of displeasing Him. The one who fears the Lord opens the word of God and trembles at what he reads. It is this person that God will instruct in the way he should choose.
Have you asked God to be your teacher? Think of the wonderful blessings that will be ours if God Himself teaches us His paths and makes us to know His ways. Let us ask God to teach us and let us also prepare our hearts to receive His teaching.
—Scott Colvin
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Posted by Scott Colvin
May 20, 2025
Timothy became a traveling companion and assistant on Paul’s second missionary journey. Timothy had a good reputation with the church, and he proved to be a valuable worker. Timothy is mentioned with Paul as a sender in 2 Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, and Philemon. He worked in Berea, Macedonia, Corinth, Thessalonica, and Ephesus. He accompanied Paul on his final trip to Jerusalem, and Hebrews mentions his release from prison (Hebrews 13:23). But we gain a personal insight into Timothy’s life, when Paul wrote: “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well” (2 Timothy 1:5, ESV). Timothy owed a spiritual debt to his mother and grandmother.
Eunice and Lois were not a perfect mother and grandmother. Why did Eunice marry a Gentile? Was that a good spiritual decision given the instructions of the Law? Were they grieved when Timothy’s eighth day of life passed without a circumcision as the Law commanded (Acts 16:3)? Yet, maybe that can be reassuring to us. We can have a positive spiritual impact having made some bad decisions in our life. Few of us would volunteer ourselves as models of perfect parenthood. The past is past. We must live for God today, and that is what Eunice and Lois did.
Eunice and Lois had a sincere faith. Faith is more than having your name on a church membership role or occupying a pew on Sunday morning. Faith must be lived in daily life. Our devotional life must overflow from the assembly into family and private devotions. Our moral life must be demonstrated on how we treat real people and not what lessons have we heard. If we have strong faith, it is more likely that our children will have strong faith. If we have moderate faith, our children may see the inconsistencies and have weaker faith. If we have weak faith, our children may have no faith. We can’t pass along what we don’t have. The greatest gift we can give our children is being people of sincere faith.
Eunice and Lois nurtured faith in Timothy. Paul reminded Timothy of his past: “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:14-15, ESV ). We can imagine Timothy taught Bible stories from his earliest years. We can imagine spiritual insights shared in daily life at those teachable moments.
Timothy owed a spiritual debt to his mother and grandmother. Lois and Eunice had a spiritual legacy because of their sincere faith and faithful instruction.
Mothers are important to us in many ways, but a spiritual legacy is the greatest gift of all. Happy Mother’s Day!
—Russ Holden
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Posted by Scott Colvin
May 9, 2025
Unresolved guilt can be a terrible force of destruction in our lives. We have all had a guilty conscience at one time or another. We have all felt that knot in our stomach or faced a restless night because we have done wrong. These are not pleasant feelings, but generally speaking, the feeling of guilt is necessary. Our conscience creates guilt within us when we know we have done wrong, and this is a blessing! Guilt is a signal to us that we need to confess our sin to God, turn from the path we are on, and seek forgiveness. Thank God for a good conscience that warns us and calls us back to the right path.
But sometimes, people who have long ago been forgiven by God are still living their lives being pressed down with a heavy weight of guilt and shame. If our conscience hasn’t been fully convicted of God’s forgiveness, many serious problems will result. A Christian who has been forgiven but doesn’t know it or believe it, can struggle with anxiety and depression. They can struggle with feeling distant from God because they believe He is continually disappointed in them and frowning at them. And so, they stay away from God. They may stay away from God’s people, or feel very uncomfortable around them, thinking things like, “If these people really knew who I am, they wouldn’t accept me.” These kinds of feelings are very harmful for spiritual health and growth.
How can we overcome these feelings of unwarranted guilt? We have to understand the nature of God and learn to trust in His forgiveness. Listen to these words of David,
“The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.
He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.
As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:8-12 NAS95)
Do you realize the nature of God? He is compassionate! He is gracious! He abounds in love! He will not stay angry forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins. No, He is gracious and forgiving. Understanding these things about God will help us to trust in His forgiveness.
Do you realize the completeness of His forgiveness? His love for His children is immeasurable, and as such, the completeness of His forgiveness is immeasurable. He has removed our sins from us as far as the east is from the west. When God forgives you, He will never remember your sins against you again! They are gone forever.
You and I have found complete forgiveness in Jesus Christ. Let’s not let the sins of our past haunt us and weigh us down anymore. If God has forgiven them, they are forgiven and forgotten forever! And when we sin, let us confess our sins, turn back to the light, and trust that the blood of Jesus keeps us continually cleansed in His sight! (1 John 1:9)
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Posted by Scott Colvin
May 9, 2025
Everyone wants to live “the good life,” but what does that mean? Many think the good life is being wealthy, living in comfort, or retiring early. Some think the good life is one of partying and fun. Some may think it is found in a very successful career. How would you define the good life? And how can you obtain it?
Listen to these inspired words of David:
“Do you want to really live? Would you love to live a long, happy life?
Then make sure you don’t speak evil words or use deceptive speech.
Turn away from evil and do what is right. Strive for peace and promote it.” (Psalm 34:12-14 NET)
So, how can we really live? First, we must control our speech. We need to choose to not speak evil. Evil words include things like gossip and slander. It would include words that are spoken in a fit of anger that wound another person. Things like these can make our lives miserable (by our own doing) and rob us of the good life. We must also choose to not speak words that are deceitful. Lying or misleading people with our words brings much trouble and sorrow. On the other hand, using words that are filled with love, with truth, and encouragement will not only bless those around us, but will bring God’s blessings into our lives.
Second, to really live, we must turn away from evil. We live in a world that is full of evil. You and I must choose not to participate in deeds of darkness, and we must strive to not let it influence us or our families. But it is not enough to turn away from evil. We need to also do what is right. We face the choice to do right or wrong on a daily basis. If you want to really live, choose what is right! Then the rich blessings of God will flow into your life.
Finally, to really live, we need to strive for peace and promote it. How does one promote peace? By being humble toward others, by speaking with gentleness and grace, by being patient with others, and by forgiving those who have wronged us—just as the Lord forgave us. We promote peace by refusing to keep a record of wrongs and by choosing to not harbor resentment and bitterness toward others. When we fail to pursue peace, we will bring a lot of sorrow into our own lives. But if we will follow the way of peace, we will be richly blessed. Those who sow peace will reap its beautiful fruit.
How might we summarize these instructions? Live like Christ. Reflect His love. Those who do will find true life!
—Scott Colvin
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Posted by Scott Colvin
May 2, 2025
Our faith and our salvation are built upon the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The historical fact of His resurrection cannot be over emphasized. There is no way in which we could speak of it too often, for it is the critical component to everything we believe. As Paul writes to the church at Corinth (who were doubting the resurrection of the dead), “But if there is no resurrection from the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain… and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.” (1 Corinthians 15:13-14, 17-19 NASB95) Without the resurrection of Christ, our faith is meaningless, we are still in our sins, and we have no hope for the future.
But the fact is, “Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:20, NASB95) This is the glorious fact! Jesus was raised! There are many powerful and convincing proofs of this fact. There are many eyewitness accounts of this fact. We can be assured that His resurrection is real, and our faith can rest solidly in this reality. And because He is alive, we too are alive! Because He is risen, we have been raised with Him and seated with Him in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 2:6) Because He is risen, we are now dead to sin and alive to God. Because He is risen, one day we too will be raised with a glorious new body. Because He is risen, we have hope of seeing our loved ones who have died in the Lord again.
Jesus is alive! And we have been made alive with Him! Shouldn’t this truth have a major impact on our lives? How should we now live? As Paul writes, “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:1-3 NASB95). We should now continue to seek the things above, setting our mind on heavenly things rather than earthly things.
How should we now live? We should continue to put to death our earthly ways. (Colossians 3:5) Immorality, greed, anger, slander, lying, and the like should all be rooted out of our lives with the help of God’s Spirit.
How should we now live? By putting on the qualities of the resurrected life: Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and love. (Colossians 3:12-14)
Let’s rejoice on this day! Jesus is alive, and we live with Him! Let us now walk as those who are alive from the dead!
—Scott Colvin
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Posted by Scott Colvin
while today 