Frank's Bible Blog

John 21-- Down but Not Out

There have been some great boxers over the years who were known for being able to "take a punch." In some cases, they not only took a punch but they were knocked down--only to get back up and win the fight. Yes, they had been knocked off their feet. Yes, they were in pain. But they didn't quit--they got up as quick as they could and continued the match. John 21 we see the recovery of someone who was knocked down, the Apostle Peter. You remember how three times he denied even knowing Christ. You remember how he said that he would never dessert Christ, yet in Christ's hour of greatest need Peter would not stand with Christ. You remember how Peter wept "bitterly" when he realized how he had let down the Lord. Peter was down, but as we see in this chapter, he wasn't out. That is because the Lord restored Peter. He gave Peter a second chance. Jesus didn't give up on Peter, even if he had given up on himself. After the resurrection, Jesus comes to Peter and some of the other disciples who were fishing. He not only miraculously enabled Peter to catch fish but He cooked breakfast for Peter and challenged Him to become all that God wanted him to become. He called Him to a life of ministry, which Peter went on to fulfill. There was a time when Peter was younger that he walked where he wished and did his own thing (v18). But not any more. Now he was sold out to Christ, even to the point where Peter would die for his faith (v19). Yes, Peter had been knocked down but he wasn't out. Christ restored him and Peter went on to impact his world for the Lord. What about you? Maybe today you feel that you have been knocked down. Maybe you feel that you have let down the Lord and God can't use you. Let me encourage you to turn back to Christ. Experience anew His love and power. If Peter can get up and go on for Christ after being knocked down, so can you!

Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

John 20-- The Bottom Line

In business, people often refer to the "bottom line"--the last line on a financial statement that shows whether or not the company made money and how much. A financial statement could be many pages long, but by going to the "bottom line" you immediately know where you stand. You get the big financial picture in one place. Well, the gospels have a "bottom line"--one verse you can go to and get the big picture. That verse in John 20:31 "But these things are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing you might have life through His name." That is the bottom line of Scripture. It is the bottom line of the story of Christ's resurrection which is found here in chapter 20. It is the bottom line of Christ appearing to His disciples after the resurrection. It is the bottom line for all of the miracle that Jesus did (which John says were far more than what he recorded--v30). The bottom line is that you and I might believe in Christ and have eternal life through Him. Jesus said to "doubting" Thomas, who only believed the resurrection after He saw Christ for himself, "Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed" (v29). You and I weren't there to witness Christ's miracles for ourselves, but that is why God gave us His word so that we could believe even though we can't see. The ultimate bottom line for each of us is a question of faith. Will we respond to Christ and His word with faith? Will we believe and place our faith in Him? If we were to look at the "bottom line" of your life, what would we see? Would it be "faith." Or would it be "self-reliance"? What's your bottom line?

Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

John 19-- Crucifixion Characters

They were there, witnessing the most pivotal day in human history. They were the people with "supporting roles" in the greatest drama ever--the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. When we look at the lives of those present at Christ's death, as recorded in John 19, we may actually see ourselves. First there was Pilot, the Roman governor. He was a people-pleaser who didn't have the courage to stand by his own decisions. Next there were the chief priests and Jewish officials. They had their own agendas, which Christ did not fit into. Then we see the Roman soldiers gambling for Jesus' garments. Nothing was sacred to them--they viewed all of life from a secular viewpoint. After Christ died, two men prepared his body for burial--Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. These were "undercover" believers--followers of Christ but they wanted to keep their beliefs secret. Finally, there were those devoted to Jesus--his mother, his aunt, John, and others who would follow Him to what appeared to be the end, regardless of what might happen to them. When you look at this cast of characters, does any resemble you? Are you the type that won't stand by your convictions and are always giving in to the crowd? Or maybe you have your own agenda that Christ just doesn't fit into right now. What about your view of life? Is anything truly sacred to you? Are you a follower of Christ but afraid to let anyone else know? Or are you truly devoted to Him and willing to follow Him anywhere He leads? Take a fresh look at the crucifixion today and see where you stand in your relationship to Jesus Christ.

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

John 18-- Focus in the Midst of Pain

We've all experienced pain. Maybe it is the pain of stubbing our little toe on the sofa or the pain from a life-threatening illness, but pain gets our attention. The greater the pain, the more we focus on it and less on everything else. The same is true with emotional pain. As our emotional pain--whether it's from being rejected, abused, unloved or whatever--grows, so does our inability to focus on anything else in life. We all know about the incredible physical pain that Christ suffered, but we often forget about the deep emotional pain He also endured. In John 18 we see Jesus betrayed by one of His own. Then we see another disciple denying he even knew Christ, not once, but three times! No crowds shouting "Hosanna!" This time they are shouting "No, not Him! Give us Barabbas!" (v40). Imagine the unbelievable emotional pain that Christ experienced. But He did not, however, focus on the pain. Instead, He stayed focused on His mission. There are three things Jesus did to maintain focus in the midst of pain, and we can do the same. First, Jesus knew that people would let Him down (v4). He didn't hold unrealistic expectations of never being hurt by those closest to Him. Second, He was committed to the Father's will no matter the cost (v11). Finally, He clearly understood His purpose for being in this world (vv36-37) to the point that He could say "For this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth." You see, when you and I clearly understand our purpose in life--the reason God created us and placed us in this world--it makes it much easier to maintain focus even when suffering. Pain, both physical and emotional, is a natural part of life. But it doesn't have to sideline us. We can keep our focus and glorify God if we have realistic expectations of others, an unwavering commitment to God's will, and a clear understanding of our life's purpose.

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

John 17-- Jesus Prays for YOU!

I don't know of any better, more peaceful feeling than hearing someone earnestly pray for me. When someone intercedes on our behalf to the Father, we experience a calmness and an assurance that are unique to believers. But did you know that Jesus Himself prayed for you? If you have trusted Him as Savior, He had you in mind when He prayed in John 17 (v20). Here's what He prayed for when He prayed for you:

• that you will be eternally kept through Jesus Himself (vv9-11)
• that you may be one with other believers (v11)
• that you will experience the fullness of His joy (v13)
• that you would be protected from the evil one as you serve Him in this world (v15)
• that you would be set apart by the truth that is God's word (vv17-19)
• that you would be one with Christ (vv21)
• that the world would see God's glory through you (vv22-23)
• that you would one day be with Him in heaven and see all of His glory (v24)
• that God's love would fill your life (v26)

Wow! Jesus prayed for you--and what a prayer it was! Pause right now and thank Him for His prayer for you. Thank Him for the assurance of eternal life that only He can give (vv3,10,12). Thank Him for His incredible love for you. Thank Him for revealing truth to you. Now that He has prayed for you, ask Him to empower you that you may bring glory to Him every day of your life.
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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

John 16-- Watch Your Footing

Have you ever been walking along and next thing you knew you were picking yourself up from the ground? Maybe your foot tripped on a little rock or you stepped onto an uneven walkway and stumbled. Usually when this happen, it is just embarrassing. We pick ourselves up and keep going. Sometimes, however, these stumbles cause great injury. The same is true in our spiritual walk, and in John 16 Jesus said that He wants to keep us from tripping (v1). There are three things that can keep us from stumbling. First, being aware of the times (vv3-4). People will hate, discriminate against, and even kill followers of Christ. Knowing that we are not going to win all of the popularity contests can keep us from stumbling. Second, we need to understand the role of God the Holy Spirit (vv5-11). He is present in each one who follows Christ. When Christ walked this earth, He limited Himself to being at one place at one time. Not so with the Holy Spirit, who personally guides each of us into truth. Finally, we can keep from stumbling if we learn to get peace from Christ (vv31-33). People turn to many things and go many places trying to find true peace in their lives. Jesus said true peace is found in Him. Let's try to avoid the little rocks and uneven walkways of life that can trip us up. Let's be aware of the times, embrace the Holy Spirit, and turn to Christ for lasting peace.
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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

John 15-- Grapes and Birds

Growing up, my grandparents grew grapes in their backyard. They had a tall white grape arbor that the grape vines would wrap around. There was nothing like the taste of fresh grapes pulled off the vine just as they ripened. But there was a problem--birds. The birds would come just before the grapes got ripe and carry them away. My grandfather put up netting, scare crows, and anything else he could think of, but some how those birds still found a way to get some of the grapes. They pulled the grapes off the vines before they were edible. In John 15 Jesus uses the analogy of grapes and their vines to show how we need to stay connected to Christ, who is the vine (v5). Staying connected or "abiding" as Jesus put it (v4) is critical if we want...

• our prayers answered (v7)
• a fruitful life as His disciples (v8)
• lasting joy (v11)
• strength in the midst of persecution and rejection (vv18-25)

But how do we stay connected? "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love," Jesus said in verse 10. In my book Maxpoint: Your Journey to Maximum Significance I detail how Christ's commands deal with nine areas: salvation, evangelism, missions, relationships, heart issues, daily living, spiritual victory, vigilance, and persecution. If we can obey Christ in these areas, then we will enjoy an abiding walk with Christ and all the benefits that come with it. Let's stop the birds of this life from pulling us away from the Vine! Let's learn to walk in obedience.
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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

John 14-- Lots of Questions

When I pick my children up from school, I always have a lot of questions for them. "How was your day? Did you learn anything? How much homework do you have?" I'm sure part of them appreciates the interest in what is happening in their world, but another part probably gets tired of playing "20 questions" everyday. In John 14, we see Jesus giving some of His final teaching with His disciples prior to the crucifixion.  In the midst of it, three of His disciples fire off questions--but they are all questions that Jesus had answered before in one way or another. These questions, however, are some of the same ones people are asking today. First, Thomas asked how do they get to where Jesus was going. The answer then is the same now: "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father accept through me," Jesus said (v6). The second question was really a request--show us the Father (v8).  Give us proof. Expose to our eyes God the Father "and that will be enough for us." There are those who always want more proof. They never are satisfied with the answers they get to their questions. Jesus said again, as He had on numerous occasions, that if you see Him you see the Father (vv9-4). Jesus said that it came down to an issue of belief--either you take Christ at His word or not. The same is true today. No matter how many answers one gets to his or her questions, ultimately one must decide to accept Christ by faith or not. It really is that simple. The final question, posed by the other Judas (not the one who betrayed Jesus) was "why are you going to reveal yourself to us and not the world?" (v22). It just made sense to Judas that Jesus would want everyone to see everything about Himself. The reality, as Jesus pointed out, is that people are too blind to see. Those who love Him and serve Him will see Jesus for Who He is (vv23-24). You see, the more we fall in love with Jesus, the more we obey Him, and the more of Him we see and understand. So, if we pull those three questions together, we get a very important truth that we all should understand:

Eternal life in Heaven comes only by placing our faith in Christ and Him alone. Once we have done that, we grow closer to Him and experience more of Him as we obey Him.

If you have placed your faith in Christ, then how are you doing at obeying Him? We simply need to obey Him if we really want to see Christ and His glory manifested in our lives.

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

John 13-- How Will I know?

One of Whitney Houston's hit 80s pop songs, How Will I know, centers on a girl wondering how she would know if the guy she likes really loves her. One line says "How will I know--don't trust your feelings." How will I know is a good question to ask in all our relationships, especially our relationship with Christ. It's not how will I know if Christ loves me, but how will I know if I really love Him. How will I know if I really love others? In John 13:35 Jesus said that everyone will know that we are His disciples if we have love one for another. But what does that look like? How will I know if I'm meeting that standard? In the same chapter Jesus gave a wonderful example of how we can know. He humbly served His disciples by washing their feet (vv1-17). Remember, in those days they wore sandals and walked on dirt roads, so washing someone's feet was not the most pleasant experience. In fact, people of status never did that--they had servants to do it for them. But Jesus didn't consign service to others. Rather, He modeled it for us. How will you know if you really love Him? It will be demonstrated in numerous ways each day as you humbly set aside your personal agenda, pride, and status to truly serve others.

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

John 12-- Perspective

When you are walking along the down-town streets of a large city it is hard to have good perspective of where you are or how large the area is. All you can see are the tall buildings surrounding you. You could be just a block or two away from something important but don't realize it because the buildings are in the way. But if you fly over the area in an airplane or helicopter, you get a much better perspective. You see how everything fits together and your view is not obscured by a building. Perspective, seeing the big picture, is important in life. Too many times we get caught up looking at the large buildings and we lose sight of the bigger purpose. Jesus modeled perspective several times in John 12. First is when His friend Mary anointed His feet with costly perfume. Some said that was a waste, but looking at the bigger picture, Jesus saw it as preparing Him for burial (vv1-8). Jesus then made His triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Although the crowd was cheering and He was the focus of their praise, He didn't lose site of the fact that He needed to die (vv12-16). Jesus understood that the only way to really have life and make something of your life is to lose it--to give up your selfish love and self-focus (vv20-26). Jesus also knew that there would be many who would reject Him (vv37-41) no matter what He said or what miracles He did. But He didn't let that discourage Him or keep Him from His mission (vv44-50). We also see in this passage an example of those who lost their perspective. Verses 42-43 tell us that there were some leaders who believed in Christ but they would not confess Him openly because they didn't want to get kicked out of the synagogue for "they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." They got caught up with the "big buildings" and failed to see the entire picture. Let's ask God today to give us His perspective on everything that comes into our lives.

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

John 11-- Dead Man Walking

One thing that is clear about God from the Scriptures is that He is very creative and seldom works the same way twice. We often try to put Him in a box thinking that God has to work things out a certain way--our way. But God is far greater than any box that our finite minds could put Him in. We see a beautiful example of this in John 11 where a good friend of Jesus named Lazarus dies. When he got real sick, Lazarus' sisters sent word of the situation to Jesus. It is interesting how Jesus responded when He heard the news. "Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was" (v6). What?!?! Jesus loved him so He stayed where He was? It would seem to me that if Jesus loved Lazarus He would have rushed to be with him. At least, that is the box I would have tried to put Him in. But Jesus waited until Lazarus was clearly dead before He came on the scene. Then, He brought His friend back to life "for the glory of God that the Son of God may be glorified through it" (v4). Now the dead man is walking to the wonder and amazement of all! This led to even more people believing in Christ (v45) and the religious elite of the day determining they would kill Him (vv49-53), all according to God's plan. Friend, you may be struggling today thinking there is little hope and wondering why God has not intervened. "What's He waiting for," you are thinking, "all He has to do is _______ (fill in the blank) and everything will be okay." You have a finite box that you want God to operate within, but He doesn't work that way! Let me encourage you to truly turn the situation over to Him that you may see the glory of God.

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

John 10-- Sheep Everywhere

During numerous trips to the country of Romania, I've observed shepherds in the fields caring for their sheep. Usually I would see the sheep grazing and the shepherd sitting. Although he was seated, the shepherd was watching--watching to make sure that nothing happened to his sheep and that none of them wandered off. In John 9 Jesus used the illustration of sheep and a shepherd to help people better understand who He was and what His purpose was. He talked about the intimate relationship a shepherd has for his sheep, how he knows their names and they know his voice (vv3-4). Jesus called Himself the door of the sheep--the entrance into the safety and provisions of the sheepfold. Then He called Himself the good shepherd who gives His life for the sheep. He contrasted that to the intent evil one, which is to "steal, and to kill, and to destroy" (v10). Christ, on the other hand, intended that we have life and the we may "have it more abundantly" (v10). We also see Christ's desire to bring others into the fold (v16) and a prediction that He would die and rise from the dead (vv17-18) to secure the ultimate provision for His sheep, eternal life (28). Finally, we see Jesus cause an enormous uproar by claiming to be God (vv30-39). How do you relate to all of this? Are you one of Christ's sheep? Do you listen to His voice? Are you experiencing abundant life? Do you know for sure that you have eternal life with Him? If not, then maybe it is time that you get to know the Good Shepherd for yourself.

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

John 9-- Explaining the Unexplainable

Why do bad things happen to good people? I'm sure you have heard this question posed many times. The answer is that we don't always know why. Sometimes bad things happen because of sin--either our sin or the sin of others. But there are times when things happen for the express purpose of bringing glory to God. Such was the case of a blind man that Jesus met in John 9. In fact, the entire chapter (41 verses) and much of the next is devoted to this incident and the lessons learned from it. The Pharisees and even Jesus' disciples assumed this man's blindness was because of sin (v2)--probably his parents since he was blind from birth. We often make assumptions about things when we don't have clear answers. Jesus, however, said that this blindness was to reveal the work of God. He would use this situation for a bigger purpose. It is important for all of us when faced with difficult circumstances to not focus on the why, but rather, on the Who. We may or may not know the why in this life, but we can always know that God is working to bring glory to Himself. And, He uses difficult times to grow us and  cause us to be more like Christ. Jesus asked the man whom He had healed "Do you believe in the Son of God?" (v35). When faced with challenges, we too need to answer that question. Our response will determine our outlook.

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

John 8-- The Fundamental Question

Math equations, puzzles, mysteries--there are many things in life that in order to find the ultimate answer you have to first settle some fundamental questions. You have to solve the first part of the equation before you can move onto the next. The same can be said of truth. In order to understand truth, there is a fundamental question that must be resolved: who is Jesus? In John 8:32 Jesus said that "you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." He says that truth is found in Him. The chapter begins with a woman caught in adultery who was brought to Jesus. Jesus knew her sin--but He also knew the sins of those who accused her. The chapter continues with Jesus describing who He is before the Pharisees and the crowds. He said He would become the Savior (v28). He said He was from and of God the Father (v19). He said He is the giver of eternal life (v51). Finally, Jesus called Himself, "I Am"--a name used by God Himself. Those who heard Jesus sought to kill him because they did not want to accept what He said. What about you? Who is Jesus to you? Is He your savior? Is He the source of truth? Or is He just a historical figure or some kind of a prophet? Your answer to that question will determine where you will spend eternity and whether or not you understand truth in this life.

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

John 7-- Confusion

Have you ever found yourself in a situation that was filled with confusion--even chaos? Maybe a natural disaster or some other tragedy hit that effected a large number of people. Accurate information is often difficult to get at first. People have to make quick decisions about what to do and where to go, but rumors and bad information make it difficult. While it wasn't any kind of a disaster, John 7 records great confusion among people concerning Christ. Some mocked Him while others praised Him. Some sought to arrest Him while others longed to hear Him teach. Some saw Him as the Christ while others saw Him as an agent of the devil. Why so much confusion then--and now--over Christ and His message? Some are confused because their human intellect is blinded to the miraculous power of God (v14). Some are confused because they are trying to work their way to heaven (vv19-24). While others see Christ as a threat to their power (vv32-33,47-49). Many make assumptions about Christ but never get all the facts (vv41-43). If you are confused about Christ today, I would encourage you to take a closer look. Listen to His words, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water" (vv37-38). There is no need to be confused about the One who offers forgiveness, peace, and eternal life.

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

John 6-- Caught Up with the Crowds

There is something about being in big crowds that impact people. For example, someone who is normally calm and reserved goes to a football game with 70,000 other fans and next thing you know he is screaming, cheering, dancing, etc. We often do things because of the crowd around us. Jesus was never concerned about getting large crowds to hear Him speak--although they did. He was concerned about individuals standing out from the crowds to make a personal commitment to Him. Such is the case in John 6 where Jesus fed more than 5,000 people using just five small loaves of bread and two fish (vv1-14). The crowds, impressed by the miraculous, followed Jesus to see more, even though He tried to get away from the crowds. The people said "What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? (v30). The crowd wanted a show. Jesus, however, wanted committed followers. Verse 66 says "From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, 'Do you also want to go away'." (v67). The 12 had to make a decision--follow the crowd or follow Jesus. Peter wisely replied "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ the Son of the living God."(vv68-69). How was it the Peter and the other 11 could go against the crowds and stick it out with Jesus? Simple. They had conviction. They were convinced who Christ was, and their conviction about Him would not let them follow the crowd. What about you? Do you have convictions that keep you from following the crowds? Or do you find yourself caught up with those around you and compromising what you say you believe?

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

John 5-- Just Like Their Parents

Children usually reveal a lot about their parents. We often can see strong resemblances of a parent’s appearance in his or her children. In addition, mannerisms, personalities, and even a child’s voice can closely resemble their parent. We may have never met the parents but we have a good idea about them because we know the son or daughter. In John 5, Jesus told a group that the way to see God the Father is to see Him as the Son. In fact, Jesus said, the only way to know the Father is to know Him. “He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me as eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life,” said Jesus (vv23-24). The group He was speaking to diligently searched the Scriptures trying to discover eternal life, but when the answer to their search—Christ—was before them, they wouldn’t believe (vv39-40). How many people today are searching for truth, searching for eternal life, even searching for God, yet they refuse to place their faith in Jesus? They are going through philosophical exercises but won’t accept truth when they see it. If we want to see the Father and experience His truth, then we need to take a closer look at the Son.

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

John 4-- Hear it for Yourself

Have you ever had someone tell you something that seemed so outrageous you just couldn’t believe it? Then, upon further exploration, you came to believe it for yourself? John 4 records the stories of two people Jesus met. During their encounter with Christ, both individuals had to make a choice—to believe what Jesus said or not. The first person was a woman Jesus met at a well (vv1-41). As the conversation continued, the woman listened to Christ and eventually made a decision—the decision to trust Him as her Savior. The second individual was a man with a deathly sick son who found Jesus (vv46-54). He begged Jesus to come and heal his son. Imagine the man’s surprise when instead of going to his son, Jesus simply said “You may go. Your son will live.” (v50). Now the man had to decide for himself—would he take Jesus at His word and leave for his son, or would he stay and insist that Jesus go there? The “man took Jesus at His word and departed” (v50) and discovered his son had been healed. These two people had to make decisions for themselves about Christ’s claims. The same is true for all of us. It is not enough to hear what others believe. It is not enough to have family and friends who believe. It is not enough to even know the words of Christ. There has to come a moment in time when we believe Christ for ourselves and accept Him as our Savior. That was what happened in the town where the woman lived. She went and told everyone about Christ, but they had to believe Christ for themselves. Notice what they said to the woman in verse 42 “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” Salvation is always personal. It’s a personal decision to take Christ at His word that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and that no one can get to heaven apart from placing their faith in Him. Have you made that decision?
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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

John 3-- Are You Shrinking?

I understand that some people, after a certain age, begin to “shrink.” The bones in their back begin to compress and they loose height. The reality is that all of us should be shrinking—not physically but spiritually in comparison to Christ. John the baptizer made an astonishing statement in John 3:30—Jesus must become greater and he must become less.  Wow!  Talk about someone with a clear sense of identity. As Jesus grew in popularity and more people were seeking Him out for baptism, John’s disciples were alarmed.  “Someone’s moving in on our turf.”  But John quickly reminded them that this was the one he was sent to prepare the way for.  He knew that he was not to be the center of focus but over time John would have a diminishing role.  God gave him a mission and he fulfilled it.  Can that be said of you—even if it means you don’t get credit for what you do for Christ or no longer find yourself in the spotlight?  Pride cannot be present if we are going to fulfill our calling in life.  Earlier in the chapter Jesus was visited by Nicodemus, a leader among the Jews.  Just by coming to Jesus he had to swallow his pride and acknowledge that he needed something that only Christ could offer.  Although Nicodemus didn’t understand what he needed, he knew that Christ would give him the answers.  What he needed, as Christ so clearly articulated, was to be born again or born spiritually.  To initially come to Christ, we have to move beyond our pride to acknowledge our total need of Him for salvation.  To effectively serve Christ, we also must move beyond our pride.  We must shrink that His glory might increase in and through our lives.

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

John 2-- Power and Passion

My daughter plays volleyball and my wife coaches it, so needless to say we watch a lot of volleyball when the Olympics are on.  We especially enjoy the excitement of beach volleyball--two players on a side covering an entire sand-filled court. We've watched the intensity--the passion--that many of these players brought to their game. We've also marveled at the power that these players showed when hitting the ball. While it is exciting to see power and passion in sports, we have to remember that this is temporary. John 2 shows us power and passion--the ultimate kind--as we look at the life of Christ. We see His power as He turned the water into wine at a wedding during His first recorded miracle (vv1-11). He then went on to do other miraculous "signs" (v23). We then see His passion as He "cleans house" at the temple--driving out those who had turned what should have been holy into a bazaar whose vendors only cared about making a buck (vv13-20). While none of us can turn water into wine, we all should strive to walk in God's power each day. And we all should have a passion for serving God and living a holy life, even if it isn't popular. Ask God to fill you with His power and instill within you His passion.
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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.

John 1-- His Picture is Everywhere

I've had the opportunity to visit more than two dozen countries. In one particular country, I was surprised to find pictures of their president everywhere. Inside buildings, outside buildings, in stores, camps, museums, everywhere you turned you saw this man's picture. He was the lead story in the newspapers, and always appeared first on the television news. Although I had not seen this in my other travels, it really is typical of humanity in general. We either have man as the center of everything, or we have Jesus Christ as the center. In John chapter 1, we see Christ as the focus of all eternity. John doesn't describe Jesus' birth in a stable, no, he goes much earlier than that. He describes how before time was, Christ was. Then we are introduced to another John, John the baptizer. Although he attracted a lot of attention by his message and unique methods, this John was quick to make Christ the center of everything. He readily saw Jesus for Who He was--the "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (v29). The chapter concludes with Andrew, Peter, Philip and Nathaniel all deciding to make Christ the center of their lives and follow Him. The question for us today is who is the focus of our lives? Who is the focus of what we do throughout each day? Is it a man? Is it ourselves? Or is it Jesus Christ?
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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com. If you would like to share a comment about today's blog, you may do so at www.maxpoint.org/message_board.