Preparing Your Heart for Me
Note from Jesus Dear Friend, My cousin John the Baptist “appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Mark 1:4 NIV). People were baptized by John to prepare themselves for My coming (Mark 1:7-8). They needed to change their hearts, minds, and behaviors if I was going to be their Lord when I came! Repentance is more than feeling sorry for your sin. Rather, inner pain and conviction about your past sin produce “godly sorrow,” which should lead you to repentance — to make changes, real behavioral and heartfelt changes, in your life (2 Corinthians 7:10-11). Those who believed John and truly repented did three things: Confessed their sins (Matthew 3:6). Were baptized (Mark 1:1-8). Bore the fruit of repentance in their lives (Luke 3:8). Hear what John says to you. Make practical changes in your life to make room in your heart for Me to come and bring life to the full to you (John 10:10). Verses to Live John’s message was a hard, but important, message. If I AM to come and live with you and inside you, you must offer yourself to Me fully, in practical and tangible ways: [C]rowds streamed out from the villages and towns to be baptized by John at the Jordan. John the Baptist: You bunch of venomous snakes! Who told you that you could escape God’s coming wrath? Don’t just talk of turning to God; you’d better bear the authentic fruit of a changed life. Don’t take pride in your religious heritage, saying, “We have Abraham for our father!” Listen — God could turn these rocks into children of Abraham! God wants you to bear fruit! If you don’t produce good fruit, then you’ll be chopped down like a fruitless tree and made into firewood. God’s ax is taking aim and ready to swing! People: What shall we do to perform works from changed lives? John the Baptist: The person who has two shirts must share with the person who has none. And the person with food must share with the one in need. Some tax collectors were among those in the crowd seeking baptism. Tax Collectors: Teacher, what kind of fruit is God looking for from us? John the Baptist: Stop overcharging people. Only collect what you must turn over to the Romans. Soldiers: What about us? What should we do to show true change? John the Baptist: Don’t extort money from people by throwing around your power or making false accusations, and be content with your pay. (Luke 3:7-14) Have you prepared your heart for My arrival? “Those I [Jesus] love I also correct and discipline. Therefore, be shamelessly committed to Me, and turn back. Now pay attention; I am standing at the door and knocking. If any of you hear My voice and open the door, then I will come in to visit with you and to share a meal at your table, and you will be with Me.” (Revelation 3:19-20) Response in Prayer O Father of mercy, please accept my confession of sin and also my commitment to live my life for You. Fill me and empower me, please dear Lord, with Your Holy Spirit. May the character of Jesus come alive in me as I offer myself to You. In the name of the Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2026, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
God’s Good News Always Begins with a Servant
Note from Jesus Dear Servant of God, I love the way Mark begins his good news story about Me: This is the beginning of the good news of Jesus, the Anointed One, the Liberating King, the Son of God. Isaiah the prophet told us what would happen before He came: Watch, I will send My messenger in front of You to prepare Your way and make it clear and straight… That messenger was John the Baptist… (Mark 1:1-2; Mark 1:4) This introduction is Mark’s way of saying that My ministry, My whole story, begins with a servant — and this servant’s name is John the Baptist. There are no birth stories about Me in Mark. Nothing about My childhood is written in Mark. There are no genealogies that tell about My ancestry. Mark is clear, purposeful, and to the point: for people to hear and believe the good news about Me, God most frequently uses those who offer themselves to Me to be servants so others can believe. That’s why in My Kingdom, the greatest is always a servant. As I said during My earthly ministry: If you are recognized at all, let it be for your service. Delight in the one Who calls you servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. (Matthew 23:11-12) Just as John the Baptist was a servant who prepared the hearts of others to know Me, please know that you are to have that same role in the lives of your friends and family. For the good news about Me to reach the hearts of your friends, associates, and family, they must know that you do what you do for them because of your love for Me as well as for them. Verses to Live Let’s return to how Mark begins his good news story of My life: This is the beginning of the good news of Jesus, the Anointed One, the Liberating King, the Son of God. Isaiah the prophet told us what would happen before He came: Watch, I will send My messenger in front of You to prepare Your way and make it clear and straight. You’ll hear him, a voice crying in the wilderness, “Prepare the way of the Eternal One, a straight way in the wandering desert, a highway for our God.” That messenger was John the Baptist, who appeared in the desert near the Jordan River preaching that people should be ritually cleansed through baptism with water as a sign of both their changed hearts and God’s forgiveness of their sins. People from across the countryside of Judea and from the city of Jerusalem came to him and confessed that they were deeply flawed and needed help, so he cleansed them with the waters of the Jordan. John dressed as some of the Hebrew prophets had, in clothes made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist. He made his meals in the desert from locusts and wild honey. He preached a message in the wilderness. John the Baptist: Someone is coming Who is a lot more powerful than I am — One Whose sandals I’m not worthy to bend down and untie. I’ve washed you here through baptism with water; but when He gets here, He will wash you in the Spirit of God. (Mark 1:1-8)John’s life was a preparation for My own life. Just as John the Baptist was a servant to Me, I am a servant to you: Jesus: Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to be a servant — to offer His life as a ransom for others. (Mark 10:45) Response in Prayer O Father in heaven, bless me as I seek to show Your love and serve those close to me — my family, my friends, my co-workers, and my neighbors. Holy Spirit, I ask that You fill my heart with love so others can see this love in what I do and be drawn to Jesus, in Whose name I pray. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2026, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Just an Ordinary Kid?
Note from Jesus Dear Child of God, When I began My ministry, the folks in My home town of Nazareth were shocked. They didn’t expect anything of Me. In their minds, I was just another average kid from their unimportant little town. They didn’t have the visits from an angel that Joseph and My mother received. They didn’t hear the prophetic proclamations of Simeon and Anna as they recognized Me as Jesus, the Messiah, God’s Anointed. They knew Me only as the boy down the street Who had brothers and sisters they knew well. They also remembered the time I stayed behind in Jerusalem on our family’s pilgrimage when I was twelve years old. Most folks knew I was obedient to My parents, but they considered Me to be just an ordinary son of a carpenter. Bottom line: Despite some wild rumors that I did all sorts of miraculous stuff when I was a boy, I mostly grew up learning Torah, obeying My parents, doing chores around Joseph’s carpentry shop, going to the synagogue once per week, and joining My family for the great festivals in Jerusalem. I grew up learning to be faithful to God, to obey Joseph and My mother, and to do both Joseph’s business of carpentry and My Father’s business of character, compassion, and service. If you are a parent, I am reminding you that your child is on loan from the Father. He has divine plans for your child. He made your child with a plan for his or her life. He will use your child to do great things for the kingdom if you will partner with Him in training your child. Whether the folks in your community recognize the incredible value and purpose of your child, please know that the Father does! There’s no such thing as “just an ordinary kid” when that kid is God’s child! Verses to Live Here’s an account that includes My visit to the Temple when I was twelve. During this trip, I revealed to those who listened and looked carefully that I was more than just a kid from Nazareth: After fulfilling their sacred duties according to the law of the Lord [referring to Jesus’ dedication as the firstborn], Mary and Joseph returned with Jesus to their own city of Nazareth in the province of Galilee. There Jesus grew up, maturing in physical strength and increasing in wisdom, and the grace of God rested on Him. Every year during Jesus’ childhood, His parents traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. When Jesus was 12, He made the journey with them. They spent several days there, participating in the whole celebration. When His parents left for home, Jesus stayed in Jerusalem, but Joseph and Mary were not aware. They assumed Jesus was elsewhere in the caravan that was traveling together. After they had already traveled a full day’s journey toward home, they began searching for Him among their friends and relatives. When no one had seen the boy, Mary and Joseph rushed back to Jerusalem and searched for Him. After three days of separation, they finally found Him — sitting among a group of religious teachers in the temple — asking them questions, listening to their answers. Everyone was surprised and impressed that a 12-year-old boy could have such deep understanding and could answer questions with such wisdom. His parents, of course, had a different reaction. Mary: Son, why have You treated us this way? Listen, Your father and I have been sick with worry for the last three days, wondering where You were, looking everywhere for You. Jesus: Why did you need to look for Me? Didn’t you know that I must be working for My Father? Neither Mary nor Joseph really understood what He meant by this. Jesus went back to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. His mother continued to store these memories like treasures in her heart. And Jesus kept on growing — in wisdom, in physical stature, in favor with God, and in favor with others. (Luke 2:39-52) Here’s the story of My visit later to Nazareth during My public ministry. The local people wouldn’t believe in Me because of their familiarity with Me and their lack of expectations: Jesus went back into His own hometown where He had grown up, and His disciples followed Him there. When the Sabbath came, He went into the synagogue in Nazareth and began to teach as He had done elsewhere, and many of those who heard Him were astonished. Those in the Synagogue: Where did He gain this wisdom? And what are all these stories we’ve been hearing about the signs and healings He’s performed? Where did He get that kind of power? Isn’t this Jesus, the little boy we used to see in Joseph’s carpenter shop? Didn’t He grow up to be a carpenter just like His father? Isn’t He the son of Mary over there and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, Simon, and their sisters? Who does He think He is? And when they had thought about it that way, they became indignant and closed themselves to His message. Jesus (seeing this): A prophet can find honor anywhere except in his hometown, among his own people, and in his own household. (Mark 6:1-4) Response in Prayer Holy God, give me a deep appreciation of each child — especially my children and the other children in my extended family. Open my eyes to see each child as You see him or her. Please use me to help call the children to Your work in each of their lives. Give me the wisdom to know how to lead them to love and obey You. In Jesus’ name, I ask for this help. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2026, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society.
Dedicated to God
Note from Jesus Dear Friend, As you begin your New Year, I want to challenge you to dedicate yourself and this year to honor Us — Father, Son, and Spirit. Be faithful in all things, including the little things. Keep your word. Spend time with the Father in prayer. Intentionally begin each day with a fresh commitment to follow Me. Seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit and follow His lead in your life. From the beginning of My life on earth, Joseph and My mother did the things that faithful Jewish parents were to do. They had Me circumcised and named Me on the eighth day after My birth. As their firstborn, I was dedicated to the Lord. I grew up going to Synagogue, learning the Torah, the prophets, and the writings — all the books you call the Old Testament. Our family journeyed to Jerusalem for the appointed festivals. I was the Son of God in human flesh through the miraculous conception by the means of the Holy Spirit. I was also a child of the Torah, a son of Israel, and a child of the synagogue because of Joseph’s and My mother’s faith. Their faith nurtured Me and guided Me. Their dedication was a blessing to Me. So I want to remind you as you stand at the beginning of a New Year to commit this year to honoring Us. Make My Father’s will your own and My life the life you choose to live. Follow My example as you deal with people, especially people often overlooked. Ask for the Holy Spirit to help you understand the Scriptures and how best to obey them. You never know who will be impacted for eternity because of what you do! Verses to Live Notice how Joseph and My mother did for Me what was required by the Torah — the Law — and how the Father affirmed their commitment to bring Me up in the way of obedient faith. First came My circumcision and dedication to the Father: Eight days after His birth, the baby was circumcised in keeping with Jewish religious requirements, and He was named Jesus, the name the messenger had given Him before His conception in Mary’s womb. After Mary had observed the ceremonial days of postpartum purification required by Mosaic law, she and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord. They were fulfilling the Lord’s requirement that “every firstborn Israelite male will be dedicated to the Eternal One as holy.” They also offered the sacrifice required by the law of the Lord, “two turtledoves or two young pigeons.” (Luke 2:21-24) Notice how Simeon, a devout old servant of God, both affirms and also warns Joseph and My mother about My role in serving the Father: While fulfilling these sacred obligations at the temple, they [Mary and Joseph] encountered a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was a just and pious man, anticipating the liberation of Israel from her troubles. He was a man in touch with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Anointed One. The Spirit had led him to the temple that day, and there he saw the child Jesus in the arms of His parents, who were fulfilling their sacred obligations. Simeon took Jesus into his arms and blessed God. Simeon: Now, Lord and King, You can let me, Your humble servant, die in peace. You promised me that I would see with my own eyes what I’m seeing now: Your freedom, raised up in the presence of all peoples. He is the light Who reveals Your message to the other nations, and He is the shining glory of Your covenant people, Israel. His father and mother were stunned to hear Simeon say these things. Simeon went on to bless them both, and to Mary in particular he gave predictions. Simeon: Listen, this child will make many in Israel rise and fall. He will be a significant person Whom many will oppose. In the end, He will lay bare the secret thoughts of many hearts. And a sword will pierce even your own soul, Mary. (Luke 2:25-35) Simeon wasn’t God’s only voice of affirmation to Joseph and My mother. Anna also spoke of My role in serving the Father: At that very moment, an elderly woman named Anna stepped forward. Anna was a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She had been married for seven years before her husband died and a widow to her current age of 84 years. She was deeply devoted to the Lord, constantly in the temple, fasting and praying. When she approached Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, she began speaking out thanks to God, and she continued spreading the word about Jesus to all those who shared her hope for the rescue of Jerusalem. After fulfilling their sacred duties according to the law of the Lord, Mary and Joseph returned with Jesus to their own city of Nazareth in the province of Galilee. There Jesus grew up, maturing in physical strength and increasing in wisdom, and the grace of God rested on Him. (Luke 2:36-40) Response in Prayer O Father in heaven, I commit this year that has just begun to You. I want You to be honored in every area of my life — public and private, big and small, important or insignificant. Mold my heart to be like Yours as I seek to honor Your will in every area of my life. I pray this through the intercession and power of Jesus. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2026, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Giving Grace, Sharing Grace
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved, What do you do when the leaders in your church don’t get along? Do you divide up into different camps and deepen the disagreement? Or, do you spend time with one another in careful, biblical, Spirit-led discussion of the issues? Do you recognize that some disagreements are matters of people’s different missions and particular responsibilities to answer My call? How do you know what to do about these kinds of issues and when to do it? The same Holy Spirit that guided the church to come to an understanding of the Gentile issue in the first part of Acts chapter 15 was also at work to guide the church through the break-up of Paul and Barnabas’ working together as a mission team. Barnabas was an encourager. That was his nature. That was his giftedness — and was even in the meaning of his name, which was given to him by the apostles (Acts 4:36). When Paul suggested to Barnabas that they go back to visit the churches where they had taught on their previous mission, Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them as they had done previously. However, Paul did not want to take John Mark because he had deserted them during their previous mission (Acts 13:13; Acts 15:37-38). The result was that Barnabas and Paul had a heated difference of opinion. However, their difference of opinion was over the best way to accomplish My mission. Notice what you don’t hear happening in the early church over this issue: The churches in Jerusalem, Judea, Antioch, and Galatia didn’t divide over whether Barnabas was right or Paul was right. There was too much work to do to allow the momentum of the church to be destroyed because Barnabas and Paul had a different sense of how to accomplish My mission. Paul and Barnabas didn’t go around bad-mouthing each other. What Paul wrote a short time later in one of his letters showed no animosity toward Barnabas and suggested respect for Barnabas’ ministry (1 Corinthians 9:6). We also know that Paul later reconciled with John Mark (Colossians 4:10; Philemon 1:24) and asked for John Mark to come to him when he was near the end of his life (2 Timothy 4:11). Paul and Barnabas each stuck to his own convictions. Each pursued his own calling. However, neither felt it was necessary to put down the other. As Paul would say to the Corinthians: Rather than power brokers, think of us as servants of the Anointed One, the Liberating King, caretakers of the mysteries of God. Because we are in this particular role, it is especially important that we are people of fidelity and integrity. It makes little difference to me how you or any human court passes judgment on me. I even resist the temptation to compare myself to the ever-changing human standard. Although I am not aware of any flaw that might exclude me from this divine service, that’s not the reason I stand acquitted — the only supreme judge, our Lord, will examine me in the proper time. So resist the temptation to act as judges before all the evidence is in. (1 Corinthians 4:1-5) The churches didn’t hyperventilate over this problem. There was no exaggerated language that made this issue bigger than it really was. You don’t hear about Paul and Barnabas having saved the church from dividing or being criticized as hypocrites for not being able to keep the peace among themselves. The disciples didn’t go around wringing their hands because this great mission team split over what to do about a young missionary who abandoned them on their first journey. The early church let Paul and Barnabas go their separate ways, permitting each to answer his own call from Me to reach the nations and to train others to do the same. Barnabas took John Mark and continued on his mission. John Mark was given a second chance. He was strengthened through his relationship with Barnabas, and Barnabas restored him to useful service to the brotherhood and even to Paul. Paul took Silas with him on his mission and raised up another powerful missionary leader. Paul’s work with other young disciples followed Barnabas’ example (as well as My example) of mentoring and growing future leaders. The world was blessed by having two great mission teams, led by two passionate but different types of leaders, and more future missionaries were trained by each one. So please hear the lesson of this important time in the early church. Don’t make disagreements among church leaders about how to carry out My mission more than they really are. Passionate disciples with unique gifts and a very clear sense of My call in their lives will have differences in opinion, strategy, and style. Some of those opinions, strategies, and styles are going to clash. This conflict doesn’t mean that they are bad. This lack of harmony doesn’t mean that one is right and the others are wrong. Yes, I want My disciples to live in unity, and Paul and Barnabas clearly ministered in unity with each other. Don’t define unity as meaning that everyone thinks the same thing. However, understand that unity does mean that My disciples must love each other, respect each other, and give each other the opportunity to serve Me and live out My mission with passion and focus. You don’t give up on or scandalize another disciple because he or she disagrees with you, or with someone you respect, over strategy or a personal sense of calling. Give grace to each other as you share grace with the lost using the grace I have given you to minister! Verses to Live The following text is a short report on Paul and Barnabas’ disagreement. As Luke writes Acts, he wants you to know this happened. The small number of words and the lack of emphasis on this disagreement show you how little their split impacted the brotherhood as a whole. Don’t let
Guidance from the Holy Spirit
Note from Jesus Dear Precious Disciple, The conference that you read about in the verses below occurred in Jerusalem. The focus of that conference was what should be done about Gentiles becoming Christians. There was a controversy concerning whether Gentile Christians would have to follow the law of Moses fully to be accepted into My family. The decision was crucial for the future of the mission of My church. At risk was the worldwide mission to the nations, the mission I had given before I ascended back to the Father. The wrong answer at this point in the development of the early church would have limited My movement to being nothing more than another sect of Judaism. However, the disciples at the conference came to the correct answer because they trusted in the leading of the Holy Spirit. I had promised My disciples that I would send the Holy Spirit to them to be with them and to empower them to be My witnesses all over the world (Acts 1:8), and they believed it! I promised them that the Holy Spirit would be their Helper and their Counselor Who would guide them into all truth (John 16:13), and they trusted that what I told them was true. They had experienced the Holy Spirit responding to their worship of prayer and fasting by calling Barnabas and Paul into the mission field (Acts 13:1-3), and they sent out these great disciples as missionaries. So when it came time to make this huge decision about Gentile Christians, what did they do? They relied on the Holy Spirit to lead them. Peter said that Cornelius’ conversion happened because “God decided” to include Gentiles, and He confirmed their inclusion by sending the Holy Spirit to Cornelius and his household. So they described the final decision they reached this way: “It has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us…” They were confident that the Holy Spirit was helping to provide them a clear path forward as they prayed and worked together on a resolution of their controversy. So here’s My point: You need to trust in the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit as you seek to live out My mission in your world. The power and the guidance of the Holy Spirit are gifts I have left you as you wait for My return! Verses to Live These words that Luke wrote in Acts show how My disciples in the early church relied on the Holy Spirit to help them make a crucial decision. They made this monumental decision with certainty because they were convicted that the Holy Spirit was guiding them. I want you to trust that the Holy Spirit will also guide you in your decisions as you seek to live out My mission to reach the lost world. Upon arrival [of Paul, Barnabas, and others from Antioch] in Jerusalem, the church, the apostles, and the elders welcomed them warmly; and they reported all they had seen God do. But there were some believers present who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees. They stood up and asserted, Pharisees: No, this is not acceptable. These people must be circumcised, and we must require them to keep the whole Mosaic law. The apostles and elders met privately to discuss how this issue should be resolved. There was a lot of debate, and finally Peter stood up. Peter: My brothers, you all know that in the early days of our movement, God decided that I should be the one through whom the first outsiders would hear the good news and become believers. God knows the human heart, and He showed approval of their hearts by giving them the Holy Spirit just as He did for us. In cleansing their hearts by faith, God has made no distinction between them and us. So it makes no sense to me that some of you are testing God by burdening His disciples with a load that neither our forefathers nor we have been able to carry. No, we all believe that we will be liberated through the grace of the Lord Jesus — they also will be rescued in the same way. There was silence among them while Barnabas and Paul reported all the miraculous signs and wonders God had done through them among outsiders. When they finished, James spoke. James: My brothers, hear me. Simon Peter reminded us how God first included outsiders in His favor, taking people from among them for His name. This resonates with the words of the prophets: “After this, I will return and rebuild the house of David, which has fallen into ruins. From its wreckage I will rebuild it; so all the nations may seek the Eternal One — including every person among the outsiders who has been called by My name.” This is the word of the Lord, Who has been revealing these things since ancient times. So here is my counsel: we should not burden these outsiders who are turning to God. We should instead write a letter, instructing them to abstain from four things: first, things associated with idol worship; second, sexual immorality; third, food killed by strangling; and fourth, blood. My reason for these four exceptions is that in every city there are Jewish communities where, for generations, the laws of Moses have been proclaimed; and on every Sabbath, Moses is read in synagogues everywhere. This seemed like a good idea to the apostles, the elders, and the entire church. They commissioned men from among them and sent them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent two prominent men among the believers, Judas (also known as Barsabbas) and Silas, to deliver this letter: The brotherhood, including the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, send greetings to the outsider believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. We have heard that certain people from among us — without authorization from us — have said things that, in turn, upset you and unsettle your minds. We have
In the Cross
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved, As Barnabas and Paul fought for the truth of the gospel against those seeking to corrupt it with doing works based on law, one message was central. That one message was, and is, centered in what I did on the cross. As profound as that message is, there is nothing flashy about it. In fact, it is a hard message to “sell” as a great philosophy. However, it was never intended to be just a philosophy. In the simple message of My sacrificial death and glorious resurrection is great power. What is that message? It is that God loved the world so much He came to your world in human flesh. I, Jesus of Nazareth, came as God incarnate. I was God in human skin. I lived a sinless life of service to others. Then I was handed over to the Romans by My own people and My own religious leaders to be crucified. This crucifixion was the sin offering for all people of all time. I was the last and perfect sacrifice needed to atone for sin. After My resurrection, I ascended to the Father and poured out the Holy Spirit to empower My people to share My message. This message of the cross became and still is the saving message for all people in all places throughout all time. All people now can base their relationship with the Father on the grace given them in My sacrifice and in their reception of that message by faith. They were and are invited to experience that message in baptism. The gift of the Holy Spirit is given to them to live in them, empower them, and assure them of living with Me forever. This message is the gospel. Nothing more should be added to it. Nothing should be taken from it. It doesn’t need to be dressed up with fancy wisdom or fancy philosophy. For Paul, it was everything. He changed his life to proclaim it. He risked his life to share it. He defended it against impostor gospels. He died because of it. He forever changed the course of religious history by proclaiming it. His message still stands as the sentinel of grace and a life lived with clarity and focus. As Paul wrote, “May I never put anything above the cross of our Lord Jesus the Anointed!” Verses to Live In the following collection of verses from Paul’s letters to the Galatian and Corinthian Christians, notice the emphasis on the cross — the essence of God’s love, the heart of My gospel, and the message that has changed the world! May I never put anything above the cross of our Lord Jesus the Anointed. Through Him, the world has been crucified to me and I to this world. (Galatians 6:14) I have been crucified with the Anointed One — I am no longer alive — but the Anointed is living in me; and whatever life I have left in this failing body I live by the faithfulness of God’s Son, the One Who loves me and gave His body on the cross for me. (Galatians 2:20) For people who are stumbling toward ruin, the message of the cross is nothing but a tall tale for fools by a fool. But for those of us who are already experiencing the reality of being rescued and made right, it is nothing short of God’s power. … It seems the Jews are always asking for signs and the Greeks are always on the prowl for wisdom. But we tell a different story. We proclaim a crucified Jesus, God’s Anointed. For Jews this is scandalous, for outsiders this is moronic, but for those of us living out God’s call — regardless of our Jewish or Greek heritage — we know the Anointed embodies God’s dynamic power and God’s deep wisdom. … My brothers and sisters, I did not pose as an expert with all the answers. I did not pretend to explain the mystery of God with eloquent speech and human wisdom. I claimed to know nothing with certainty other than the reality that Jesus is the Anointed One, the Liberating King, Who was crucified on our behalf. I was moved to utter despair during my time with you. I would find myself trembling in dread and fear. The sermons I preached were not delivered with the kind of persuasive elegance some have come to expect, but they were effective because I relied on God’s Spirit to demonstrate God’s power. If this were not so, your faith would be based on human wisdom and not the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18, 22-24; 1 Corinthians 2:1-5) Response in Prayer O Father, may I never boast except of the love and grace that You have given Me in Jesus. Thank You, Jesus, for Your incarnation and sacrifice. Thank You Holy Spirit for Your power exercised in the resurrection of Jesus and made alive in Me. May my life reflect Your work in me, O God, and may I share Your grace with those who do not know it. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2025, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Unacceptable!
Note from Jesus Dear Follower, I hate racism! Bigotry and racial prejudice are unacceptable. It comes in all sorts of forms, some overt and some cloaked in apparently acceptable language. On the other hand, racial inclusion nearly always requires that people must be tolerant, kind, and patient if social, racial, and cultural differences are going to be accepted among My people. The evil one loves to use racial bias and bigotry to fuel suspicion and divide peoples into warring groups. My first followers couldn’t see their bigotry and prejudice because it was so close to them and so much a part of them. Unfortunately, this can still be true in your day. During their first several decades as a movement, my people had to deal with deep-seated racial issues. Some of these prejudices were social and were related to the handling of food and table fellowship. Others were seated in hatred and suspicion of people of different races. Some used the Scriptures as their basis for exclusion. In other words, there were social, ethnic, and religious prejudices that My early followers had to overcome all while often being a persecuted and oppressed people. As you have seen in your readings from Acts about the early Christian movement, My disciples were slow in taking My good news to those outside of Judaism. Then suddenly, “outsiders” (non-Jews) came pouring into My family of faith. The question that My early church faced was very simple to state, but very difficult to navigate: What is the requirement for non-Jews to become Christians and live in fellowship with Jewish Christians? Paul and Barnabas had experienced My hand of grace enabling them to reach “outsiders” in Antioch, in Galatia, and in places in between. The church in Antioch became a shining light of Jewish people and non-Jewish people coming together as My people (Acts 11:19-24). They then were called by the Holy Spirit to send Barnabas and Paul (then known as Saul) to reach even more “outsiders” (Acts 13:1-3). Led and empowered by the Holy Spirit, these two great missionaries joined with other believers in sharing My saving grace with those who were lost, including those in Galatia. (The last two Scriptures below are from the letter Paul later wrote to the Galatian Christians.) Barnabas and Paul shared My gospel regardless of people’s race, ethnicity, or culture. Many “outsiders” believed and followed Me. At some point, there were more non-Jewish Christians than Jewish ones. The church at Antioch, along with the churches in regions outside of Judea and Galilee, were overjoyed at what God was doing among the “outsiders” (Acts 14:26-28; Acts 15:1-4). But, as Luke puts it in the verses below from Acts, “Their peace was disturbed…” Paul wouldn’t back down, as you’ve already seen in the book of Galatians. There was also a group that became known as Judaizing teachers. They were just as adamant as Paul but said it was “not acceptable” for non-Jews to join into Christian fellowship without requiring circumcision and the keeping of the Mosaic Law. Paul knew his position would not be popular with the Pharisees and Judaizing teachers, but Paul and Barnabas weren’t concerned about popularity; they were defending grace. In their minds, this disagreement still all boiled down to an issue of the flesh — racial hatred tinged with racial pride — and to an issue of fear — not wanting to be ostracized by fellow Jews. Led by the elders, apostles, My half-brother James, along with Barnabas and Paul, the church met in Jerusalem to decide this issue. For Me, however, the issue was clear. The Father sent Me to save the world (John 3:16-17), not one race of people. The Father sent me into the world so the people of the world could know that I love them (1 John 4:8-10). I died to bring all people to Me (John 12:32-33). When I commissioned My disciples shortly before ascending back to the Father, I told them to go and make disciples of all nations. The word I chose for nations literally means “outsiders” (Matthew 28:18-20). I shared My vision of the future for My people with John in the book of Revelation. There will be “a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language” (Revelation 7:9 NLT). Anyone who believes in Me and trusts in My death, burial, and resurrection can be baptized and added to My people regardless of race, culture, social standing, ethnicity, or accomplishment. I do not want prejudice existing in My people. I do not want anything added to My simple gospel of saving grace. Prejudice is unacceptable for anyone who claims to follow Me! (1 John 4:20) Verses to Live The issues you find in the different readings that follow took a while to be resolved appropriately in the early church. You know how We — Father, Son, and Spirit — feel. We want all people included in Our family. We want no racial or prejudicial barriers to be placed in the way of anyone coming to Us and receiving salvation. If the early church could overcome these huge barriers, you have to know that you can, too! They [Paul and Barnabas] then passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. They preached their message in Perga and then went to the port of Attalia. There they set sail for Antioch, where they were first entrusted to the grace of God for the mission they had now completed. They called the church together when they arrived and reported all God had done with and through them, how God had welcomed outsiders through the doorway of faith. They stayed with the disciples in Antioch for quite a while. Their [the Antioch church’s] peace was disturbed, however, when certain Judeans came with this teaching: “Unless you are circumcised according to Mosaic custom, you cannot be saved.” Paul and Barnabas argued against this teaching and debated with the Judeans vehemently, so the church selected several people
God’s New Creation Counts for Everything
Note from Jesus Dear Faithful Friend, I told My disciples in the last few hours before My crucifixion, “I don’t call you servants any longer; servants don’t know what the master is doing, but I have told you everything the Father has said to Me. I call you friends” (John 15:15). To some of My friends, I revealed deeper things in special revelation to give them the authority to teach the good news about Me in all of its simple truth. The apostle Paul was one of these special people. The Father revealed Me to Paul so that he could proclaim My story, share My grace, and bring My salvation to “outsider nations.” Paul didn’t learn this message from any mortal (Galatians 1:11-17; Galatians 2:1-10). He didn’t get the details of the gospel from the apostles or any other witnesses. In his letter to the Galatians, Paul was battling to preserve this authoritative message about the Father’s grace. The Galatians were trying to add Jewish practices to the gospel — practices established in the law given to Moses and other practices added by tradition. Paul was right in adamantly declaring that any gospel that added requirements to the gospel of grace received through faith is really no gospel at all (Galatians 1:6-9). Finding new life in Me and becoming a “new creation” come only from being “in” Me. Paul told the Corinthians: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV) Paul made it clear to the Galatians that this “new creation” happened through faith and was experienced in baptism. This new life could not come through any form of law-keeping or doings works of the law of Moses: So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:26-29 NIV) During our continuing journey through the New Testament over the next few months, you will see time and again that people will try to add some additional requirement to My simple gospel. Thankfully, Paul never abandoned what the Father had revealed in him (Galatians 1:15-16): I AM the good news the world needs. I AM “the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NLT). So Paul reminded his Galatian brothers and sisters at both the beginning and the end of his letter that there is only one gospel, the one delivered to him from God about Me. Paul also reminded the Galatians that there is only one thing that ultimately matters: “God’s new creation is what counts, and it counts for everything.” Verses to Live As you read these seemingly unconnected passages from the beginning and the end of Galatians, remember what I said about one, simple, and transformational message. There is only one. That message finds its focus in Me. When I come into a person’s life, I make everything new. This change is what matters! Surely you are familiar with my personal history, with my dedication to the teachings and traditions of Judaism. I persecuted the church of God — in fact, I meant to destroy it. I excelled in the teachings of Judaism far above other Jewish leaders, and I was zealous to practice the ways of our ancestors. But God — Who set me apart even before birth and called me by His grace — chose, to His great delight, to reveal His Son in me so I could tell His story among the outsider nations. I didn’t confer with anyone right away, nor did I go to those who were already emissaries in Jerusalem. I went straight to Arabia and later returned to Damascus. After living this adventurous mission for three years, I made my way to Jerusalem and spent 15 days with Cephas, whom you know as Peter. But I didn’t see any emissary other than James, our Lord’s brother. (You can be certain that what I am offering you is an authentic account. Before God, it’s the whole truth — I wouldn’t lie.) Later I journeyed to Syria and Cilicia; and since I had spent so little time in Judea among the churches of the Anointed One, no one there could pick me out of a crowd. But stories of my call and mission preceded me: “The very man who wanted to kill us all is now preaching the faith he once labored to destroy.” And so they praised God for the miracle He did in my life. (Galatians 1:13-24) The troublemakers who are putting pressure on you to be circumcised are trying to impress the flesh. They want to avoid the persecution that comes from preaching the cross of the Anointed One, the Liberating King. But even those who receive circumcision can’t keep the law — although they think they can — and they hope to influence which way you go with your own skin so they can have bragging rights over your flesh. May I never put anything above the cross of our Lord Jesus the Anointed. Through Him, the world has been crucified to me and I to this world. Let me be clear: circumcision won’t save you — uncircumcision won’t either for that matter — for both amount to nothing. God’s new creation is what counts, and it counts for everything. May peace and mercy come to all of you who live by this rule and to the Israel of God. (Galatians 6:12-16) Response in Prayer Father, forgive me for the times I’ve added requirements to the simple, pure, and powerful gospel about Jesus. Thank You that Your gospel is so simple, clear,
Focusing on Prayer
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved, Prayer is one of the most precious gifts you have received as the Father’s child! One of the reasons I sent the Holy Spirit to you was so that you would have His help in your prayer life (Romans 8:26-27). James began and ended his tract on living for the Father with straightforward teaching on prayer. I want you to notice several things about this teaching that are highlighted in bold for you in the verses below. However, the first truth about prayer you must know is this: prayer is rooted in the grace of your Father in heaven. I taught you to address your heavenly Father with the simple words, “Our Father” (Matthew 6:9). Your Father longs to give you good gifts. He longs to “grant all that you need” and “He gives lavishly and never scolds you for asking”! Your Father longs to lift you “up from the floor of despair” and bring you lasting life! (See the underlined emphasis in the verses below.) In other words, prayer is first and foremost about your Father. Recognize that prayer is a gift of grace from your Father in heaven. Your prayers need to come from a heart fully yielded to Him. James also gives several other key truths that are connected to prayer, and that grow out of the following principles: Ask the Father — remember He longs to be gracious. Your request should come from an undivided heart; it should “be anchored by your single-minded commitment to God.” You should enlist righteous people, like your elders, to help you pray for your deepest needs. Your prayers should be offered in faith — remember, don’t doubt the Father longs to hear you. Your prayers should be rooted in the righteousness of your life. Prayers don’t need to be uttered with a lot of words or fancy language, but your heart needs to be intensely riveted on the Father as you pray. The focus of your intensity, when you pray, should be the Father, not the perfect choice of your words. Prayer is a great gift. Use this gift. Seek the Father. Come to Him out of a life lived for Him. He longs to be gracious to you. Verses to Live When I was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night I was betrayed, the soldiers and the crowd sent by the religious leaders knew where to find Me because going there was My regular practice (Luke 22:39-40; Luke 21:37). My request of the Father was specific and heartfelt — “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42 NIV). My surrender to His will was not new. I had prayed this prayer many times. I hope My example for you, along with the following words from James for you, will give you the direction and encouragement you need to pray with confidence to the Father Who loves you and longs to bless you. My desire is that you will seek godly people to join you in a confident prayer offered with intensity out of lives lived to honor the Father. (The bold highlights words about how you should pray and the underlining highlights the Father’s response to your prayers.) If you don’t have all the wisdom needed for this journey, then all you have to do is ask God for it; and God will grant all that you need. He gives lavishly and never scolds you for asking. The key is that your request be anchored by your single-minded commitment to God. Those who depend only on their own judgment are like those lost on the seas, carried away by any wave or picked up by any wind. Those adrift on their own wisdom shouldn’t assume the Lord will rescue them or bring them anything. The splinter of divided loyalty shatters your compass and leaves you dizzy and confused. (James 1:5-8) Are any in your community suffering? They should pray. Are any celebrating? They should sing praises to God. Are any sick? They should call the elders of your church and ask them to pray. They will gather around and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. Prayers offered in faith will restore them from sickness and bring them to health. The Lord will lift them up from the floor of despair; and if the sickness is due to sin, then God will forgive their sins. So own up to your sins to one another and pray for one another. In the end, you may be healed. Your prayers are powerful when they are rooted in a righteous life. Remember Elijah? He was a man, no different from us. He prayed with great intensity asking God to withhold the rain; God answered his prayers and did not allow a single drop of rain to fall for three and a half years. It did not rain until Elijah prayed again for God to open the skies, when the rain came down and the earth produced a great crop. (James 5:13-18) Response in Prayer O Father, my Abba Father, thank You for the grace of prayer. Thank You for listening to both my words and my heart. I know that You long to hear my heart when I pray. I know that You have given me the blessed Holy Spirit to make my deepest longings, sighs, and groanings known to You. Forgive me when I pray without my focus on You. Forgive me for the times that I have prayed without the intensity of my heart longing to communicate with You. I especially ask that You hear my heart as I pray for several of my friends by name, friends who need Your grace, healing, and strength… In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2025, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations,