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TWELVE LOAVES / LEVITICUS 24:5

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) Leviticus 24:5

And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth deals shall be in one cake.

The Bread of His Presence: What Twelve Loaves Teach Us About God’s Devotion

Have you ever stopped to consider how much detail God puts into worship? In Leviticus 24:5, God commands Moses: “You shall take fine flour and bake twelve loaves from it; two tenths of an ephah shall be in each loaf.”

These twelve loaves—also known as “the bread of the presence” (Exodus 25:30)—were set out on a table of pure gold in the Tabernacle every single Sabbath. They were not just a ritualistic food offering; they were a profound visual sermon about God’s heart for His people.

Here is what the twelve loaves reveal about our relationship with God today.

1. You Are Always in His Sight

The Hebrew term for this offering is Lechem haPanim, which literally translates to “the bread of the faces” or the bread of His immediate presence. The twelve loaves represented the twelve tribes of Israel. By placing them inside the Holy Place, God was making a continuous statement: My people are always before My face. God does not look away from you. In your seasons of trial, joy, or ordinary routine, you live directly in His gaze.

2. Provision and Unity

Twelve distinct loaves were baked, yet they shared the exact same ingredients and stood together on one golden table. This reflects God’s complete provision for every single tribe—none were left out, and none were given preference. It reminds us that in God’s family, we are distinct individuals, yet we are united under His care. He has more than enough grace to sustain each of us daily.

3. A Life Wholly Dedicated

The loaves were renewed every week, and the old bread was eaten only by the priests in a holy place. It was a holy commodity, set apart entirely for God. Just like those loaves, our lives are meant to be a continual, fresh dedication to Him. We are called to present ourselves daily as a living sacrifice, fresh and devoted to His purposes.

The Ultimate Bread of Presence

Centuries after Leviticus was written, Jesus stood before a crowd and declared, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35). The shadow of the Tabernacle bread found its ultimate reality in Christ. Through Jesus, we don’t just look at the bread of the presence from a distance; we are invited to partake of it. Because of His sacrifice, you have permanent access to the presence of God. You are sustained, seen, and deeply loved.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the beautiful reminder of the twelve loaves. Thank You that just as Israel was represented before Your face in the Tabernacle, we are held perpetually in Your sight through Jesus Christ. We praise You that Your presence is not a distant concept, but a daily reality that sustains us.

Lord, we dedicate our lives afresh to You today. Forgive us for the times we try to satisfy our spiritual hunger with things of this world. Remind us that You are our ultimate provider and our daily bread. May our thoughts, actions, and desires be set apart for Your glory, smelling sweet like fresh incense before Your throne.

Keep us united as Your people, and let us rest in the peace of knowing we are never forgotten, never forsaken, and always loved.

In the holy name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Bible Study Tools I Use

Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter

  1. FEAST OF TABERNACLES / LEVITICUS 23:34-43
  2. TRUMPET BLASTS / LEVITICUS 23:24
  3. SEVEN FULL WEEKS / LEVITICUS 23:15
  4. FIRST GRAIN YOU HARVEST / LEVITICUS 23:10
  5. APPOINTED FEASTS OF THE LORD / LEVITICUS 23:2
  6. HAS A DEFECT / LEVITICUS 21:17
  7. NOT MARRY WOMEN DEFILED BY PROSTITUTION / LEVITICUS 21:7
  8. HOLY TO THEIR GOD / LEVITICUS 21:6
  9. PRIESTS / LEVITICUS 21:1
  10. LOVE HIM AS YOURSELF / LEVITICUS 19:34
  11. MEDIUMS OR … SPIRITISTS / LEVITICUS 19:31
  12. TWO KINDS OF MATERIAL / LEVITICUS 19:19
  13. LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR / LEVITICUS 19:18
  14. BE HOLY / LEVITICUS / 19:2
  15. THAT IS DETESTABLE / LEVITICUS 18:22
  16. SACRIFICED TO MOLECH / LEVITICUS 18:21
  17. HAVE SEXUAL RELATIONS / LEVITICUS 18:6
  18. MUST NOT DO AS THEY DO / LEVITICUS 18:3
  19. LIFE OF A CREATURE IS IN THE BLOOD / LEVITICUS 17:11
  20. THE GOAT IDOLS / LEVITICUS 17:7
  21. THE DAY OF ATONEMENT / LEVITICUS 16:1-34
  22. WASH HIS CLOTHES AND BATHE / LEVITICUS 15:5
  23. PRONOUNCE HIM CEREMONIALLY UNCLEAN / LEVITICUS 13:3
  24. GIVES BIRTH TO A SON / LEVITICUS 12:2
  25. BE HOLY / LEVITICUS 11:44
  26. NOT TO DRINK WINE / LEVITICUS 10:9
  27. FIRE … CONSUMED THEM / LEVITICUS 10:2
  28. UNAUTHORIZED FIRE / LEVITICUS 10:1
  29. SLAUGHTERED THE CALF / LEVITICUS 9:8
  30. AARON AND HIS SONS / LEVITICUS 8:1-3
  31. WAVE OFFERING / LEVITICUS 7:30
  32. UNCLEAN … MUST BE CUT OFF / LEVITICUS 7:20
  33. BREAD MADE WITH YEAST / LEVITICUS 7:13
  34. AGAINST THE ALTAR / LEVITICUS 7:2
  35. GUILT OFFERING / LEVITICUS 5:15
  36. FINE FLOUR FOR A SIN OFFERING / LEVITICU 5:11
  37. HE MUST CONFESS / LEVITICUS 5:5
  38. OUTSIDE THE CAMP / LEVITICUS 4:12
  39. SIN OFFERING / LEVITICUS 4:3
  40. ANY FAT OR ANY BLOOD / LEVITICUS 3:17
  41. FELLOWSHIP OFFERING / LEVITICUS 3:1
  42. GRAIN OFFERING / LEVITICU 2:1-2
  43. AROMA PLEASING TO THE LORD / LEVITICUS 1:9
  44. NOT ANY YEAST OR HONEY / LEVITICUS 2:11
  45. LAY HIS HAND ON / LEVITICUS 1:4
  46. BURNT OFFERING / LEVITICUS 1:3
  47. BRINGS AN OFFERING / LEVITICUS 1:2
  48. GUIDED BY GRACE HOME

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog post! May the words inspire and uplift all who read them. Your support and interest mean the world to me, and I’m grateful for every moment you spend here. Stay tuned for more, and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!” Blessings, Margarita & Stace

Guided By Grace
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JUDGE THOSE INSIDE / 1 CORINTHIANS 5:10-12

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) 1 Corinthians 5:10-12

 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?

The Accountability of Grace: Understanding 1 Corinthians 5:10-12

It is a common phrase heard both inside and outside the church: “Only God can judge me.” While God is indeed the ultimate Judge, the Apostle Paul delivers a striking and countercultural instruction to the church in 1 Corinthians 5:10-12. He clarifies a major misunderstanding about Christian judgment, drawing a sharp line between how we relate to the world and how we relate to our fellow believers.

Looking Outward vs. Looking Inward

Paul makes it clear that Christians are not called to police the behavior of non-believers. In verse 10, he notes that to avoid everyone in the world who sins, you would literally have to leave the earth. The world acts like the world because it does not know Christ. Expecting non-believers to live by God’s standards is unfair and counterproductive to sharing the Gospel. Our primary posture toward those outside the church should be one of love, evangelism, and grace.

However, the dynamic changes entirely within the household of faith. Paul writes, “For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?” (1 Corinthians 5:12).

Holy Accountability, Not Self-Righteous Criticism

This text calls the church to judge those inside. This is not a license for petty criticism, gossip, or legalistic condemnation. Jesus famously warned against hypocritical judgment in Matthew 7:1-5, telling us to take the log out of our own eye before addressing the speck in someone else’s.

Instead, the judgment Paul speaks of is a protective, loving accountability. It applies specifically to individuals who claim to follow Christ but openly, persistently, and unrepentantly engage in serious sin. When we ignore flagrant sin within the church, we compromise two vital things:

  • The Purity of the Church: Unaddressed sin spreads like leaven through dough, lowering the moral standards of the entire community.
  • The Witness of the Church: If the church looks exactly like the world, it loses its credibility and its ability to show the world a better, holier way to live.

Holding each other accountable is an act of love. It aims to restore the wandering believer to right standing with God and to preserve the integrity of Christ’s church.

Closing Prayer

Holy and Righteous Father,

We thank You for the gift of the local church and the community of believers You have placed around us. Lord, grant us the wisdom to discern how to walk in grace and truth. Help us to show radical love and compassion to those outside the church, remembering that we too were once lost in sin.

Give us the courage and humility to hold one another accountable within the body of Christ. Guard our hearts against self-righteousness, gossip, and harsh criticism. May our desire always be the restoration of our brothers and sisters and the purity of Your church. Let our lives collectively honor Your name, so that the world may see our love and our holiness, and be drawn to You.

In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Bible Study Tools I Use

Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter

  1. LITTLE YEAST WORKS THROUGH THE WHOLE BATCH / 1 CORINTHIANS 5:6
  2. HAND THIS MAN OVER TO SATAN / 1 CORINTHIANS 4-5
  3. BEEN FILLED WITH GRIEF / 1 CORINTHIANS 5:2
  4. SEXUAL IMMORALITY AMONG YOU – HAS HIS FATHER’S WIFE / 1 CORINTHIANS 5:1
  5. KINGDOM OF GOD … POWER / 1 CORINTHIANS 4:20
  6. APOSTLES … CONDEMNED / 1 CORINTHIANS 4:9-13
  7. HAVE ALL YOU WANT … HAVE BECOME RICH / 1 CORINTHIANS 4:8
  8. WHY DO YOU BOAST / 1 CORINTHINANS 4:7
  9. EXPOSE THE MOTIVES OF MEN’S HEARTS / 1 CORINTHIANS 4:5
  10. CONSCIENCE IS CLEAR … DOES NOT MAKE ME INNOCENT / 1 CORINTHIANS 4:4
  11. GOD WILL DESTROY HIM / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:17
  12. YOU YOURSELVES ARE GOD’S TEMPLE / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:16
  13. HE WILL SUFFER LOSS – BUT ONLY AS ONE ESCAPING THROUGH THE FLAMES / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:15
  14. ONE PURPOSE / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:8
  15. YOU ARE STILL WORLDLY / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:3
  16. NOT ADDRESS YOU AS SPIRITUAL / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:1
  17. WE HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST / 1 CORINTHIANS 2:16
  18. WORDS TAUGHT BY THE SPIRIT / 1 CORINTHIANS 2:13
  19. THAT WE MAY UNDERSTAND / 1 CORINTHIANS 2:12
  20. I FOLLOW PAUL … APOLLOS … CEPHAS … I FOLLOW CHRIST / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:12
  21. A DEMONSTRATION OF THE SPIRIT’S POWER / 1 CORINTHIANS 2:4
  22. I DID NOT COME WITH … WISDOM / 1 CORINTHIANS 2:1
  23. CHRIST JESUS HAS BECOME FOR US WISDOM / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:30
  24. NULLIFY THE THINGS THAT ARE / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:28-29
  25. GOD CHOSE THE FOOLISH THINGS / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:27
  26. THE FOOLISHNESS OF WHAT WAS PREACHED / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:21
  27. THE WISDOM OF THE WORLD / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:20
  28. CHRIST DID NOT SEND ME TO BAPTIZE / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:17
  29. GOD … IS FAITHFUL / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:9
  30. IT IS THE POWER OF GOD / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:8
  31. YOU DO NOT LACK ANY SPIRITUAL GIFT – WAIT FOR OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TO BE REVEALED / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:7
  32. CALLED TO BE HOLY / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:1-2
  33. PRAY WITH MY SPIRIT – PRAY WITH MY MIND / 1 CORINTHIANS 14:14-15
  34. THIS CUP / 1 CORINTHIANS 11:25
  35. THE GREATEST … IS LOVE / 1 CORINTHIANS 13:13
  36. TONGUES, THEY WILL BE STILLED / 1 CORINTHIANS 13:8
  37. LOVE IS PATIENT / 1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-7
  38. I AM NOTHING / 1 CORINTHIANS 13:2
  39. BUT HAVE NOT LOVE / 1 CORINTHIANS 13:1
  40. GUIDED BY GRACE ABOUT

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog post! May the words inspire and uplift all who read them. Your support and interest mean the world to me, and I’m grateful for every moment you spend here. Stay tuned for more, and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!” Blessings, Margarita & Stace

Guided By Grace
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LITTLE YEAST WORKS THROUGH THE WHOLE BATCH / 1 CORINTHIANS 5:6

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) 1 Corinthians 5:6

Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

The Hidden Danger: How a Little Yeast Corrupts the Whole Batch

Have you ever baked a loaf of bread? If so, you know the incredible power of yeast. You only need a tiny spoonful, but once it is mixed into the dough, it doesn’t stay put. It works its way through the entire batch, changing the structure, size, and ultimate outcome of the bread.

In 1 Corinthians 5:6, the Apostle Paul uses this exact household image to deliver a sharp, critical warning to the church: “Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough?”

Paul wasn’t giving a baking lesson. He was exposing a dangerous spiritual principle about sin, compromise, and the absolute necessity of spiritual purity within our communities.

The Symbolism of Yeast

To understand Paul’s urgency, we have to look back at the Old Testament. During the Passover Feast, God strictly forbade the presence of yeast in the house (Exodus 12:15). It required a diligent, thorough sweep to ensure not a single crumb remained.

Throughout Scripture, yeast frequently serves as a symbol for sin, false teaching, and moral corruption. Why? Because of how it operates:

  • It is quiet: You cannot see yeast working with the naked eye at first.
  • It is persistent: It never stops moving until it has saturated everything.
  • It is transformative: It changes the fundamental nature of the element it infects.

When sin enters a Christian community, it rarely stays confined to one person or one corner. Left unchecked, it spreads. It desensitizes the congregation, lowers the moral standard, and eventually corrupts the church’s commitment to truth and authentic spiritual life.

The Cost of Tolerating Compromise

In the context of 1 Corinthians 5, the church was actually boasting about their “tolerance” regarding a blatant case of sexual immorality among their members. They thought their refusal to address the sin was a sign of grace. Paul completely corrects this mindset.

Tolerating willful, unrepentant sin isn’t grace; it is spiritual negligence. When a community refuses to take loving, radical action to address open sin, the entire body suffers. Galatians 5:9 echoes this exact truth: “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”

The ultimate danger of allowing sin to fester in the church is devastating. As seen in the warnings to the seven churches in Revelation 2 – 3, a church that compromises its purity risks losing its lampstand. God may eventually withdraw His Holy Spirit, His godly influence, and His power from a congregation that chooses compromise over holiness.

Sweeping Out the Yeast

God calls His church to be a holy priesthood, a distinct and shining light in a dark world. This doesn’t mean we expect perfection—we are all sinners saved by grace. However, it does mean we cannot harbor, excuse, or celebrate lifestyle patterns that actively defy God’s Word.

We must guard our hearts and our churches with vigilance. We do this by:

  1. Practicing personal repentance: Continually asking the Holy Spirit to search our hearts for hidden “yeast.”
  2. Cultivating loving accountability: Having the courage to speak the truth in love to brothers and sisters who are wandering.
  3. Prioritizing God’s holiness: Valuing the presence and power of the Holy Spirit above cultural approval or false comfort.

Let us be a people who pursue authentic, pure spiritual lives, ensuring that our batch of dough is defined not by the yeast of malice and wickedness, but by the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, You are holy, righteous, and pure. We thank You for calling us out of darkness and into Your marvelous light, setting us apart as Your corporate body.

Lord, we ask that You search our hearts today. Reveal any hidden areas of compromise, sin, or apathy that we have allowed to take root. Forgive us for the times we have tolerated what breaks Your heart, or labeled compromise as grace.

We pray for our local churches and Christian communities. Grant our leaders wisdom, discernment, and godly courage to shepherd the flock with truth and love. Protect our congregations from the deceptive, spreading nature of sin. Keep our devotion to You pure, undivided, and authentic.

Holy Spirit, do not remove Your presence or Your power from us. Instead, revive us, cleanse us, and fill us afresh, so that our lives and our churches may truly reflect Your holiness to a world in need of Your saving grace.

In the precious and mighty name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Bible Study Tools I Use

Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter

  1. HAND THIS MAN OVER TO SATAN / 1 CORINTHIANS 4-5
  2. BEEN FILLED WITH GRIEF / 1 CORINTHIANS 5:2
  3. SEXUAL IMMORALITY AMONG YOU – HAS HIS FATHER’S WIFE / 1 CORINTHIANS 5:1
  4. KINGDOM OF GOD … POWER / 1 CORINTHIANS 4:20
  5. APOSTLES … CONDEMNED / 1 CORINTHIANS 4:9-13
  6. HAVE ALL YOU WANT … HAVE BECOME RICH / 1 CORINTHIANS 4:8
  7. WHY DO YOU BOAST / 1 CORINTHINANS 4:7
  8. EXPOSE THE MOTIVES OF MEN’S HEARTS / 1 CORINTHIANS 4:5
  9. CONSCIENCE IS CLEAR … DOES NOT MAKE ME INNOCENT / 1 CORINTHIANS 4:4
  10. GOD WILL DESTROY HIM / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:17
  11. YOU YOURSELVES ARE GOD’S TEMPLE / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:16
  12. HE WILL SUFFER LOSS – BUT ONLY AS ONE ESCAPING THROUGH THE FLAMES / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:15
  13. ONE PURPOSE / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:8
  14. YOU ARE STILL WORLDLY / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:3
  15. NOT ADDRESS YOU AS SPIRITUAL / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:1
  16. WE HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST / 1 CORINTHIANS 2:16
  17. WORDS TAUGHT BY THE SPIRIT / 1 CORINTHIANS 2:13
  18. THAT WE MAY UNDERSTAND / 1 CORINTHIANS 2:12
  19. I FOLLOW PAUL … APOLLOS … CEPHAS … I FOLLOW CHRIST / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:12
  20. A DEMONSTRATION OF THE SPIRIT’S POWER / 1 CORINTHIANS 2:4
  21. I DID NOT COME WITH … WISDOM / 1 CORINTHIANS 2:1
  22. CHRIST JESUS HAS BECOME FOR US WISDOM / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:30
  23. NULLIFY THE THINGS THAT ARE / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:28-29
  24. GOD CHOSE THE FOOLISH THINGS / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:27
  25. THE FOOLISHNESS OF WHAT WAS PREACHED / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:21
  26. THE WISDOM OF THE WORLD / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:20
  27. CHRIST DID NOT SEND ME TO BAPTIZE / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:17
  28. GOD … IS FAITHFUL / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:9
  29. IT IS THE POWER OF GOD / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:8
  30. YOU DO NOT LACK ANY SPIRITUAL GIFT – WAIT FOR OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TO BE REVEALED / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:7
  31. CALLED TO BE HOLY / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:1-2
  32. PRAY WITH MY SPIRIT – PRAY WITH MY MIND / 1 CORINTHIANS 14:14-15
  33. THIS CUP / 1 CORINTHIANS 11:25
  34. THE GREATEST … IS LOVE / 1 CORINTHIANS 13:13
  35. TONGUES, THEY WILL BE STILLED / 1 CORINTHIANS 13:8
  36. LOVE IS PATIENT / 1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-7
  37. I AM NOTHING / 1 CORINTHIANS 13:2
  38. BUT HAVE NOT LOVE / 1 CORINTHIANS 13:1
  39. GUIDED BY GRACE ABOUT

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog post! May the words inspire and uplift all who read them. Your support and interest mean the world to me, and I’m grateful for every moment you spend here. Stay tuned for more, and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!” Blessings, Margarita & Stace

Guided By Grace
Posted on

HAND THIS MAN OVER TO SATAN / 1 CORINTHIANS 5:4-5

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) 1 Corinthians 5:4-5

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

The Hardest Love: Understanding “Handing Someone Over to Satan” in 1 Corinthians 5

It is one of the most jarring phrases in the entire New Testament: “Hand this man over to Satan.”

When we read these words from the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 5:4-5, they sound harsh, vindictive, and entirely contrary to the modern idea of unconditional inclusion. However, when we dig beneath the shocking surface, we discover a profound theological truth. True biblical church discipline is never about punishment or rejection. It is about ultimate restoration and protecting the community of faith.

What Does It Actually Mean?

To “hand someone over to Satan” means that a local church must formally expel an unrepentant, overtly immoral person from its congregation. It is an act of letting the individual go their own way.

By removing the protective hedge of the Christian community, the church exposes the person to the destructive influences of the world, evil, and the demonic (1 Corinthians 5:7, 13). It allows them to experience the full, heavy weight of life outside of God’s grace.

The Twofold Purpose of Discipline

Paul outlines a strict strategy that serves two vital purposes:

  • To Save the Offender: By experiencing difficult trials, isolation, and even physical suffering, the rebellious individual may reach the end of themselves. Like the Prodigal Son feeding pigs in a distant land (Luke 15:11-24), this painful rock bottom is meant to break their pride, causing them to humbly turn back to God for forgiveness.
  • To Protect the Church: Sin is infectious. Paul warns that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough. The church must “get rid of the old yeast” (1 Corinthians 5:7) so the community can remain pure, functioning as fresh bread defined by “sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:8).

Loving Enough to Let Go

Churches today still face the painful task of confronting spiritually rebellious individuals. When soft warnings fail, the most loving thing a church can do is to stop shielding a person from the consequences of their rebellion (1 Timothy 1:20).

It is a desperate, last-resort measure. We deliver them to the world, praying that the world breaks them, so that Christ can ultimately remake them.

A Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

We come before You recognizing the holiness and purity of Your name. Lord, we confess that executing biblical discipline is painful and difficult for our modern hearts to comprehend, yet we trust Your wisdom.

We pray for our local churches today. Grant our pastors and leaders immense wisdom, discernment, and courage. Help us to guard the purity of Your bride, the church, ensuring that we live in sincerity and truth, free from the corrupting yeast of unrepentant sin.

We also pray for those who are currently walking in spiritual rebellion. For those who have been removed from fellowship due to ongoing sin, we ask that You use their current trials to break their pride. Bring them to the end of their worldly options so that they find nowhere to turn but back to You. Protect their souls, Lord, and grant them the gift of godly grief that leads to repentance and final salvation.

In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Bible Study Tools I Use

Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter

  1. BEEN FILLED WITH GRIEF / 1 CORINTHIANS 5:2
  2. SEXUAL IMMORALITY AMONG YOU – HAS HIS FATHER’S WIFE / 1 CORINTHIANS 5:1
  3. KINGDOM OF GOD … POWER / 1 CORINTHIANS 4:20
  4. APOSTLES … CONDEMNED / 1 CORINTHIANS 4:9-13
  5. HAVE ALL YOU WANT … HAVE BECOME RICH / 1 CORINTHIANS 4:8
  6. WHY DO YOU BOAST / 1 CORINTHINANS 4:7
  7. EXPOSE THE MOTIVES OF MEN’S HEARTS / 1 CORINTHIANS 4:5
  8. CONSCIENCE IS CLEAR … DOES NOT MAKE ME INNOCENT / 1 CORINTHIANS 4:4
  9. GOD WILL DESTROY HIM / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:17
  10. YOU YOURSELVES ARE GOD’S TEMPLE / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:16
  11. HE WILL SUFFER LOSS – BUT ONLY AS ONE ESCAPING THROUGH THE FLAMES / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:15
  12. ONE PURPOSE / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:8
  13. YOU ARE STILL WORLDLY / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:3
  14. NOT ADDRESS YOU AS SPIRITUAL / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:1
  15. WE HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST / 1 CORINTHIANS 2:16
  16. WORDS TAUGHT BY THE SPIRIT / 1 CORINTHIANS 2:13
  17. THAT WE MAY UNDERSTAND / 1 CORINTHIANS 2:12
  18. I FOLLOW PAUL … APOLLOS … CEPHAS … I FOLLOW CHRIST / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:12
  19. A DEMONSTRATION OF THE SPIRIT’S POWER / 1 CORINTHIANS 2:4
  20. I DID NOT COME WITH … WISDOM / 1 CORINTHIANS 2:1
  21. CHRIST JESUS HAS BECOME FOR US WISDOM / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:30
  22. NULLIFY THE THINGS THAT ARE / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:28-29
  23. GOD CHOSE THE FOOLISH THINGS / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:27
  24. THE FOOLISHNESS OF WHAT WAS PREACHED / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:21
  25. THE WISDOM OF THE WORLD / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:20
  26. CHRIST DID NOT SEND ME TO BAPTIZE / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:17
  27. GOD … IS FAITHFUL / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:9
  28. IT IS THE POWER OF GOD / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:8
  29. YOU DO NOT LACK ANY SPIRITUAL GIFT – WAIT FOR OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TO BE REVEALED / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:7
  30. CALLED TO BE HOLY / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:1-2
  31. PRAY WITH MY SPIRIT – PRAY WITH MY MIND / 1 CORINTHIANS 14:14-15
  32. THIS CUP / 1 CORINTHIANS 11:25
  33. THE GREATEST … IS LOVE / 1 CORINTHIANS 13:13
  34. TONGUES, THEY WILL BE STILLED / 1 CORINTHIANS 13:8
  35. LOVE IS PATIENT / 1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-7
  36. I AM NOTHING / 1 CORINTHIANS 13:2
  37. BUT HAVE NOT LOVE / 1 CORINTHIANS 13:1
  38. GUIDED BY GRACE ABOUT

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog post! May the words inspire and uplift all who read them. Your support and interest mean the world to me, and I’m grateful for every moment you spend here. Stay tuned for more, and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!” Blessings, Margarita & Stace

Guided By Grace
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BEEN FILLED WITH GRIEF / 1 CORINTHIANS 5:2

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) 1 Corinthians 5:2

And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

The Holy Ache: Why True Grace Begins with Grief

We live in a culture that avoids discomfort at all costs. When something goes wrong, our instinct is to cover it up, laugh it off, or look the other way. But in his first letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul calls the church to a completely different, radically counter-cultural response when sin compromises the community: grief.

In 1 Corinthians 5:2, Paul addresses a community that was actually proud of their tolerance, ignoring blatant immorality in their midst. Paul’s response is sharp and direct: “And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this?”

The Anatomy of Holy Grief

Paul expresses what should be the normal, healthy reaction of a Spirit-filled, Spirit-guided church. When immoral behavior is found among members who claim to follow Christ, the response should not be gossip, apathy, or false tolerance. It should be sorrow.

Those who embrace the Biblical view of God’s holiness—His absolute purity, perfection, and separation from evil—cannot look at sin lightly. When we catch a glimpse of God’s holiness, just as the prophet Isaiah did in Isaiah 6, we are instantly moved to a deep sense of sorrow and regret. We realize that sin isn’t just a breaking of rules; it breaks the heart of God.

Love Without Compromise

True Christian love does not mean tolerating destruction. When a body has a life-threatening infection, a doctor does not ignore it out of “kindness”—they treat it.

As a result of this holy grief, Paul explains that a healthy church must take action to remove wickedness from among them (1 Corinthians 5:2, 4-5, 7, 13). This echoes the steps of restoration Jesus gave us in Matthew 18:15. The goal of this separation is never cruelty; it is purity for the church and ultimate restoration for the individual.

When we grieve over sin, we align our hearts with God’s heart. We protect the testimony of Christ, and we clear the way for true, uncompromised grace to heal and restore.

Closing Prayer

Holy and Righteous Father,

We come before You acknowledging Your absolute purity and perfection. Forgive us for the times we have treated sin lightly, or valued local comfort over Your holiness. Grant us the grace of a broken heart. Help us to feel the holy grief that Paul spoke of, so that we may see sin the way You see it.

Purify our hearts and our communities. Give us the courage to confront compromise with deep humility, overwhelming love, and unyielding truth. May our lives and our churches be a true reflection of Your holiness to a world in need of Your saving grace.

In Jesus’ mighty name we pray, Amen.

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Bible Study Tools I Use

Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter

  1. SEXUAL IMMORALITY AMONG YOU – HAS HIS FATHER’S WIFE / 1 CORINTHIANS 5:1
  2. KINGDOM OF GOD … POWER / 1 CORINTHIANS 4:20
  3. APOSTLES … CONDEMNED / 1 CORINTHIANS 4:9-13
  4. HAVE ALL YOU WANT … HAVE BECOME RICH / 1 CORINTHIANS 4:8
  5. WHY DO YOU BOAST / 1 CORINTHINANS 4:7
  6. EXPOSE THE MOTIVES OF MEN’S HEARTS / 1 CORINTHIANS 4:5
  7. CONSCIENCE IS CLEAR … DOES NOT MAKE ME INNOCENT / 1 CORINTHIANS 4:4
  8. GOD WILL DESTROY HIM / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:17
  9. YOU YOURSELVES ARE GOD’S TEMPLE / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:16
  10. HE WILL SUFFER LOSS – BUT ONLY AS ONE ESCAPING THROUGH THE FLAMES / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:15
  11. ONE PURPOSE / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:8
  12. YOU ARE STILL WORLDLY / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:3
  13. NOT ADDRESS YOU AS SPIRITUAL / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:1
  14. WE HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST / 1 CORINTHIANS 2:16
  15. WORDS TAUGHT BY THE SPIRIT / 1 CORINTHIANS 2:13
  16. THAT WE MAY UNDERSTAND / 1 CORINTHIANS 2:12
  17. I FOLLOW PAUL … APOLLOS … CEPHAS … I FOLLOW CHRIST / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:12
  18. A DEMONSTRATION OF THE SPIRIT’S POWER / 1 CORINTHIANS 2:4
  19. I DID NOT COME WITH … WISDOM / 1 CORINTHIANS 2:1
  20. CHRIST JESUS HAS BECOME FOR US WISDOM / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:30
  21. NULLIFY THE THINGS THAT ARE / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:28-29
  22. GOD CHOSE THE FOOLISH THINGS / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:27
  23. THE FOOLISHNESS OF WHAT WAS PREACHED / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:21
  24. THE WISDOM OF THE WORLD / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:20
  25. CHRIST DID NOT SEND ME TO BAPTIZE / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:17
  26. GOD … IS FAITHFUL / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:9
  27. IT IS THE POWER OF GOD / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:8
  28. YOU DO NOT LACK ANY SPIRITUAL GIFT – WAIT FOR OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TO BE REVEALED / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:7
  29. CALLED TO BE HOLY / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:1-2
  30. PRAY WITH MY SPIRIT – PRAY WITH MY MIND / 1 CORINTHIANS 14:14-15
  31. THIS CUP / 1 CORINTHIANS 11:25
  32. THE GREATEST … IS LOVE / 1 CORINTHIANS 13:13
  33. TONGUES, THEY WILL BE STILLED / 1 CORINTHIANS 13:8
  34. LOVE IS PATIENT / 1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-7
  35. I AM NOTHING / 1 CORINTHIANS 13:2
  36. BUT HAVE NOT LOVE / 1 CORINTHIANS 13:1
  37. GUIDED BY GRACE ABOUT

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog post! May the words inspire and uplift all who read them. Your support and interest mean the world to me, and I’m grateful for every moment you spend here. Stay tuned for more, and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!” Blessings, Margarita & Stace

Guided By Grace
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SEXUAL IMMORALITY AMONG YOU – HAS HIS FATHER’S WIFE / 1 CORINTHIANS 5:1

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) 1 Corinthians 5:1

It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.

The Cost of Compromise: Understanding 1 Corinthians 5:1 and Church Purity

In his first letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul addresses a report that shocked him to his core. The issue was not just that a scandalous sin was occurring within the congregation, but that the church leadership was actively ignoring it.

1 Corinthians 5:1 states: “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife.”

The specific situation likely involved a man sexually involved with his stepmother. This conduct was so extreme that even the surrounding Greco-Roman pagan society—which was notoriously permissive—condemned it. Yet, the Corinthian church remained proud, tolerant, and silent.

Paul’s message is clear: the church, as a holy people, cannot permit or tolerate open defiance of God’s standards among its members. He provides three critical reasons why loving, biblical discipline is necessary.

1. For the Good of the Offender

Biblical discipline is never about vindictiveness; it is about restoration. Paul instructs the church to remove the offender from the congregation (1 Corinthians 5:5) so that the individual might awaken to the severity of their sin. The ultimate goal is to break through spiritual blindness, leading the person to genuine repentance, forgiveness, and restoration.

2. For the Sake of the Church’s Purity

Paul uses the analogy of leaven, noting that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough (1 Corinthians 5:6-8). When a church tolerates open evil among those who follow Christ in words only, moral standards gradually lower. Sin becomes normalized, and the entire community becomes comfortable with spiritual compromise.

3. For the Good of the World

The church cannot influence the world to follow Christ if it looks exactly like the world. We are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13). When the church fails to reflect Christ’s character, it loses its testimony and its ability to offer true transformation to a hurting world.

The Modern Parallel

The permissiveness of the Corinthian church mirrors many ministries today. Cultural shifts have led many churches to remain silent about adultery, premarital sex, and various forms of sexual impurity, sometimes even justifying them under the guise of love. When leaders refuse to grieve over spiritual corruption, believers gradually blend into the surrounding society. 1 Corinthians 5 challenges us to return to God’s standard of holiness, guarding the purity of His church with humility and love.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

We come before You recognizing that You are a holy God who calls His people to be holy. Forgive us for the times we have grown comfortable with sin or chosen the path of worldly compromise rather than biblical truth.

We pray for our churches and our leaders today. Grant us the spiritual discernment to recognize compromise and the courage to address it with humility, grace, and truth. Guard our hearts against pride and permissiveness. Help us to value the purity of Your church, always seeking the restoration of those who stumble.

Let our lives and our ministries be an accurate reflection of Your character to the world around us. May we truly live as salt and light, drawing others to Your saving grace.

In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Bible Study Tools I Use

Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter

  1. KINGDOM OF GOD … POWER / 1 CORINTHIANS 4:20
  2. APOSTLES … CONDEMNED / 1 CORINTHIANS 4:9-13
  3. HAVE ALL YOU WANT … HAVE BECOME RICH / 1 CORINTHIANS 4:8
  4. WHY DO YOU BOAST / 1 CORINTHINANS 4:7
  5. EXPOSE THE MOTIVES OF MEN’S HEARTS / 1 CORINTHIANS 4:5
  6. CONSCIENCE IS CLEAR … DOES NOT MAKE ME INNOCENT / 1 CORINTHIANS 4:4
  7. GOD WILL DESTROY HIM / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:17
  8. YOU YOURSELVES ARE GOD’S TEMPLE / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:16
  9. HE WILL SUFFER LOSS – BUT ONLY AS ONE ESCAPING THROUGH THE FLAMES / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:15
  10. ONE PURPOSE / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:8
  11. YOU ARE STILL WORLDLY / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:3
  12. NOT ADDRESS YOU AS SPIRITUAL / 1 CORINTHIANS 3:1
  13. WE HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST / 1 CORINTHIANS 2:16
  14. WORDS TAUGHT BY THE SPIRIT / 1 CORINTHIANS 2:13
  15. THAT WE MAY UNDERSTAND / 1 CORINTHIANS 2:12
  16. I FOLLOW PAUL … APOLLOS … CEPHAS … I FOLLOW CHRIST / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:12
  17. A DEMONSTRATION OF THE SPIRIT’S POWER / 1 CORINTHIANS 2:4
  18. I DID NOT COME WITH … WISDOM / 1 CORINTHIANS 2:1
  19. CHRIST JESUS HAS BECOME FOR US WISDOM / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:30
  20. NULLIFY THE THINGS THAT ARE / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:28-29
  21. GOD CHOSE THE FOOLISH THINGS / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:27
  22. THE FOOLISHNESS OF WHAT WAS PREACHED / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:21
  23. THE WISDOM OF THE WORLD / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:20
  24. CHRIST DID NOT SEND ME TO BAPTIZE / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:17
  25. GOD … IS FAITHFUL / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:9
  26. IT IS THE POWER OF GOD / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:8
  27. YOU DO NOT LACK ANY SPIRITUAL GIFT – WAIT FOR OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TO BE REVEALED / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:7
  28. CALLED TO BE HOLY / 1 CORINTHIANS 1:1-2
  29. PRAY WITH MY SPIRIT – PRAY WITH MY MIND / 1 CORINTHIANS 14:14-15
  30. THIS CUP / 1 CORINTHIANS 11:25
  31. THE GREATEST … IS LOVE / 1 CORINTHIANS 13:13
  32. TONGUES, THEY WILL BE STILLED / 1 CORINTHIANS 13:8
  33. LOVE IS PATIENT / 1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-7
  34. I AM NOTHING / 1 CORINTHIANS 13:2
  35. BUT HAVE NOT LOVE / 1 CORINTHIANS 13:1
  36. GUIDED BY GRACE ABOUT

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog post! May the words inspire and uplift all who read them. Your support and interest mean the world to me, and I’m grateful for every moment you spend here. Stay tuned for more, and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!” Blessings, Margarita & Stace

Guided By Grace
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MANY OTHER THINGS / JOHN 21:25

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) John 21:25

 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

The Boundless Christ: Reflecting on John 21:25

The Apostle John closes his Gospel with a mind-boggling statement: “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” (John 21:25).

It is a beautiful, hyperbolic reminder that our historical knowledge of Jesus is only a fraction of His actual earthly ministry. The Gospel writers had to be highly selective in their accounts. Yet, what we do possess in our Bibles is intentional, divine, and entirely sufficient.

Through His written Word, God has ensured that we have everything we need to make a decision about Jesus and follow the course of life He desires for us.

The Secret to the “Many Other Things”

Have you ever wondered how Jesus accomplished so many unwritten acts of power, healing, and deliverance? The Bible gives us a clear clue. Jesus did absolutely nothing without first seeing or hearing it from His Father (John 5:19-24; John 8:28).

Every miracle, every profound teaching, and every quiet moment of compassion flowed from a deeper reality. They were a direct reflection of the immense time Jesus spent with His Father in prayer. He was constantly waiting, listening, and receiving direction.

If Jesus, the sinless Son of God, required intentional time alone with the Father to gain His life’s direction and power, how much more do we need it?

Our modern lives are noisy, and our schedules are packed. Yet, true spiritual fruitfulness only comes when we acknowledge our total dependence on God. We demonstrate that dependence by carving out quiet moments to anchor ourselves in prayer and scripture. We do not need to know every single unrecorded detail of what Jesus did; we simply need to know—and sit with—the One who did them.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

We stand in awe of the sheer magnitude of who Jesus is. Thank You for preserving the Holy Scriptures, giving us everything we need to know You, believe in You, and walk in Your ways.

Forgive us for the times we try to navigate this life in our own strength and wisdom. We confess our need for Your guidance. Holy Spirit, stir in us a deep desire to seek Your face daily. Teach us to wait, listen, and depend on You just as Jesus did. May our lives reflect Your love, and may our steps be ordered by Your truth.

In Jesus’ mighty name, we pray, Amen.

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Bible Study Tools I Use

Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter

  1. YOU WILL STRETCH OUT YOUR HANDS / JOHN 21:18
  2. DO YOU LOVE ME? … FEED MY SHEEP / JOHN 21:17
  3. TAKE CARE OF MY SHEEP / JOHN 21:16
  4. DO YOU TRULY LOVE ME / JOHN 21:15
  5. THROW YOUR NET ON THE RIGHT SIDE / JOHN 21:6
  6. I’M GOING OUT TO FISH / JOHN 21:3
  7. MY LORD AND MY GOD / JOHN 20:28
  8. DO NOT HOLD ON TO ME / JOHN 20:17
  9. JESUS APPEARS TO MARY / JOHN 20:16
  10. A NEW TOMB / JOHN 19:41
  11. IT IS FINISHED / JOHN 19:30
  12. WINE VINEGAR / JOHN 19:29
  13. DEAR WOMAN HERE IS YOUR SON / JOHN 19:26
  14. WE HAVE NO KING BUT CAESAR / JOHN 19:15
  15. THE SIXTH HOUR / JOHN 19:14
  16. POWER … GIVEN TO YOU FROM ABOVE / JOHN 19:11
  17. I FIND NO BASIS FOR A CHARGE / JOHN 19:4
  18. TESTIFY TO THE TRUTH / JOHN 18:37
  19. MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD / JOHN 18:36
  20. THE CUP / JOHN 18:11
  21. THE GLORY THAT YOU GAVE ME / JOHN 17:22-23
  22. THAT ALL OF THEM MAY BE ONE / JOHN 17:21
  23. I SANCTIFY MYSELF / JOHN 17:19
  24. SANCTIFY THEM BY THE TRUTH / JOHN 17:17
  25. THEY HAVE OBEYED YOUR WORD / JOHN 17:6
  26. ETERNAL LIFE / JOHN 17:3
  27. JESUS’ PRAYER JOHN 17:1
  28. THE FATHER HIMSELF LOVES YOU / JOHN 16:27
  29. TAKING FROM WHAT IS MINE / JOHN 16:14
  30. HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH / JOHN 16:13
  31. CONVICT THE WORLD / JOHN 16:8
  32. IF I GO I WILL SEND HIM / JOHN 16:7
  33. THEY WILL PERSECUTE YOU ALSO / JOHN 15:20
  34. GO AND BEAR FRUIT / JOHN 15:16
  35. REMAIN IN MY LOVE / JOHN 15:9-10
  36. ASK WHATEVER YOU WISH / JOHN 15:7
  37. LIKE A BRANCH THAT IS THROWN AWAY / JOHN 15:6
  38. REMAIN IN ME / JOHN 15:4
  39. EVERY BRANCH / JOHN 15:2
  40. WE WILL … MAKE OUR HOME WITH HIM / JOHN 14:23
  41. I AM THE TRUE VINE / JOHN 15:1
  42. HOLY SPIRIT / JOHN 14:26
  43. HE WHO DOES NOT LOVE ME / JOHN 14:24
  44. WE WILL … MAKE OUR HOME WITH HIM / JOHN 14:23
  45. WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDS / JOHN 14:21
  46. I WILL COME TO YOU / JOHN 14:18
  47. THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH – WITH YOU AND WILL BE IN YOU / JOHN 14:17
  48. I WILL ASK THE FATHER – COUNSELOR / JOHN 14:16
  49. IF YOU LOVE ME YOU WILL OBEY / JOHN 14:15
  50. ASK IN MY NAME / JOHN 14:13
  51. GREATER THINGS / JOHN 14:12
  52. I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE / JOHN 14:6
  53. I WILL COME BACK / JOHN 14:3
  54. MY FATHER’S HOUSE / JOHN 14:1-4
  55. LOVED PRAISE FROM MEN / JOHN 12:42-43
  56. KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES / JOHN 13:35
  57. LOVE ONE ANOTHER / JOHN 13:34
  58. AT A LOSS TO KNOW WHICH OF THEM HE MEANT / JOHN 13:22
  59. WASH ONE ANOTHER’S FEET / JOHN 13:14
  60. UNLESS I WASH YOU / JOHN 13:8
  61. WASH HIS DISCIPLES FEET /JOHN 13:5
  62. LOVED PRAISE FROM MEN / JOHN 12:42-43
  63. THEY COULD NOT BELIEVE / JOHN 12:39-40
  64. DRAW ALL MEN TO MYSELF / JOHN 12:32
  65. PRINCE OF THIS WORLD WILL BE DRIVEN OUT / JOHN 12:31
  66. WHOEVER SERVES ME / JOHN 12:26
  67. HATES HIS LIFE IN THIS WORLD / JOHN 12:25
  68. SON OF MAN … GLORIFIED / JOHN 12:23-24
  69. MARY … POURED IT ON JESUS’ FEET / JOHN 12:3
  70. FOR THE SCATTERED CHILDREN OF GOD / JOHN 11:52
  71. THE DEAD MAN CAME OUT / JOHN 11:44
  72. JESUS WEPT / JOHN 11:35
  73. DEEPLY MOVED IN SPIRIT / JOHN 11:33
  74. I BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE THE CHRIST / JOHN 11:27
  75. I AM THE RESURRECTION / JOHN 11:25-26
  76. STAYED WHERE HE WAS TWO MORE DAYS / JOHN 11:6
  77. JESUS LOVED MARTHA AND HER SISTER AND LAZARUS / JOHN 11:5
  78. SICKNESS … FOR GOD’S GLORY / JOHN 11:4
  79. THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH / JOHN 10:28
  80. YOU ARE GODS? / JOHN 10:34
  81. THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH / JOHN 10:28
  82. MY SHEEP LISTEN TO MY VOICE / JOHN 10:27
  83. I KNOW MY SHEEP / JOHN 10:14-15
  84. I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD / JOHN 10:11
  85. THE THIEF COMES … I HAVE COME / JOHN 10:10
  86. I AM THE GATE / JOHN 10:9
  87. JESUS THE GOOD SHEPHERD / JOHN 10:1
  88. THOSE WHO SEE WILL BECOME BLIND / JOHN 9:39
  89. THEY THREW HIM OUT / JOHN 9:34
  90. WORK OF GOD MIGHT BE DISPLAYED / JOHN 9:3
  91. BEFORE ABRAHAM WAS BORN, I AM / JOHN 8:58
  92. HE IS A LIEAR AND THE FATHER OF LIES / JOHN 8:44
  93. IF GOD WERE YOUR FATHER / JOHN 8:42
  94. YOU WILL BE FREE INDEED / JOHN 8:36
  95. EVERYONE WHO SINS / JOHN 8:34
  96. THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE / JOHN 8:32
  97. IF YOU HOLD TO MY TEACHING / JOHN 8:31
  98. I PASS JUDGMENT ON NO ONE / JOHN 8:15
  99. I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD / JOHN 8:12
  100. NEITHER DO I CONDEMN YOU / JOHN 8:11
  101. IF ANY ONE OF YOU IS WITHOUT SIN / JOHN 8:7
  102. GAIN HONOR FOR HIMSELF / JOHN 7:18
  103. JESUS HAD NOT YET BEEN GLORIFIED / JOHN 7:39
  104. AS THE SCRIPTURE HAS SAID – STREAMS OF LIVING WATER / JOHN 7:38
  105. GAIN HONOR FOR HIMSELF / JOHN 7:18
  106. IF ANYONE CHOOSES TO DO GOD’S WILL / JOHN 7:17
  107. IT HATES ME / JOHN 7:6-7
  108. FEAST OF TABERNACLES / JOHN 7:2-3
  109. JESUS HAD KNOWN FROM THE BEGINNING / JOHN 6:64
  110. EATS MY FLESH AND DRINKS MY BLOOD / JOHN 6:54
  111. THE FATHER … DRAWS HIM / JOHN 6:44
  112. MY FATHER’S WILL / JOHN 6:40
  113. I WILL NEVER DRIVE AWAY / JOHN 6:37
  114. I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE / JOHN 6:35
  115. MIRACLES / JOHN 6:1-2
  116. DO NOT BELIEVE WHAT HE WROTE / JOHN 5:47
  117. ACCEPT PRAISE FROM ONE ANOTHER / JOHN 5:44
  118. YOU DILIGENTLY STUDY / JOHN 5:39-40
  119. THOSE WHO HAVE DONE GOOD – RISE TO LIVE – THOSE WHO HAVE DONE EVIL / JOHN 5:29
  120. HAS GRANTED THE SON TO HAVE LIFE IN HIMSELF / JOHN 5:26
  121. HEARS … BELIEVES – WILL NOT BE CONDEMNED / JOHN 5:24
  122. MAKING HIMSELF EQUAL WITH GOD / JOHN 5:18-24
  123. PERSECUTED HIM / JOHN 5:16
  124. STOP SINNING / JOHN 5:14
  125. THE MAN WAS CURED / JOHN 5:9
  126. THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS / JOHN 5:5
  127. SIGNS AND WONDERS / JOHN 4:48
  128. CROP FOR ETERNAL LIFE / JOHN 4:36
  129. SURPRISED TO FIND HIM TALKING WITH A WOMAN / JOHN 4:27
  130. TRUTH / JOHN 4:24
  131. WORSHIP … IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH / JOHN 4:23-24
  132. SAMARITANS WORSHIP WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW / JOHN 4:22
  133. WATER … ETERNAL LIFE / JOHN 4:14
  134. SAMARITAN WOMAN / JOHN 4:7
  135. WHOEVER REJECTS / JOHN 3:36
  136. LOVED DARKNESS INSTEAD OF LIGHT / JOHN 3:19
  137. GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD / JOHN 3:16
  138. JUST AS MOSES LIFTED UP THE SNAKE / JOHN 3:14-15
  139. THE WIND … THE SPIRIT / JOHN 3:8
  140. BORN OF WATER / JOHN 3:5
  141. DROVE ALL FROM THE TEMPLE AREA / JOHN 2:15
  142. SIGNS / JOHN 2:11
  143. CHOICE WINE – HAD TOO MUCH TO DRINK / JOHN 2:10
  144. WINE – THEY HAVE NOT MORE WINE / JOHN 2:3
  145. YOU SHALL SEE HEAVEN OPEN / JOHN 1:51
  146. CEPHAS … PETER / JOHN 1:42
  147. THE FIRST THING ANDREW DID / JOHN 1:41
  148. WILL BAPTIZE WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT / JOHN 1:33
  149. LAMB OF GOD / JOHN 1:29
  150. GRACE AND TRUTH / JOHN 1:17
  151. THE WORD BECAME FLESH / JOHN 1:14
  152. BORN NOT OF … HUMAN DECISION / JOHN 1:13
  153. RECEIVED … BELIEVED / JOHN 1:12
  154. THE WORLD DID NOT RECOGNIZE HIM / JOHN 1:10
  155. GIVES LIGHT TO EVERY MAN / JOHN 1:9
  156. LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS /JOHN 1:5
  157. LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF MEN / JOHN 1:4
  158. WITH GOD IN THE BEGINNING / JOHN 1:2
  159. THE WORD / JOHN 1:1
  160. GUIDED BY GRACE ABOUT

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog post! May the words inspire and uplift all who read them. Your support and interest mean the world to me, and I’m grateful for every moment you spend here. Stay tuned for more, and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!” Blessings, Margarita & Stace

Guided By Grace
Posted on

YOU WILL STRETCH OUT YOUR HANDS / JOHN 21:18

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) John 21:18

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

YOU WILL STRETCH OUT YOUR HANDS / JOHN 21:18

Title: You Will Stretch Out Your Hand: The Ultimate Cost of Love

In John 21:18, Jesus speaks words to Peter that are both a profound prophecy and a sobering reality: “Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”

The verse immediately following explains the weight of this statement: Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God.

For Peter, following Jesus was never just a casual journey or a checklist of good deeds. It required his entire life. Church tradition records that Peter was eventually crucified in Rome under the Emperor Nero around A.D. 67 or 68, martyred for his unwavering faith alongside the Apostle Paul. Historians note that Peter requested to be crucified upside down, viewing himself as deeply unworthy to die in the exact same manner as his Lord.

This moment reveals a beautiful, radical transformation. Years earlier, Peter had denied Jesus three times out of fear for his own safety. Yet, after experiencing the grace of the resurrection and the power of the Holy Spirit, the man who once shrank back in the courtyard became a man who would willingly stretch out his hands for the cross.

Jesus did not promise Peter an easy, comfortable path. Instead, He promised him a life of absolute surrender. When we truly love Christ, we relinquish control over our own destinations. We trade our independence for His leadership, trusting that even when we are led into difficult seasons, our lives—and our sacrifices—have the power to honor God.

Peter’s story challenges us to look at our own walk of faith. Are we only willing to follow Jesus when the path is smooth and self-directed? Or are we ready to stretch out our hands, surrender our plans, and allow Him to lead us wherever He chooses? True discipleship means giving up the driver’s seat so that God can be glorified in all things.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the powerful example of the Apostle Peter, who moved from a place of fear to a life of total surrender. Forgive us for the times we hold tightly to our own plans, comforts, and control. Today, we choose to stretch out our hands to You. We surrender our futures, our fears, and our desires into Your safe keeping.

Give us the courage to follow You even when the path is costly or difficult. May our lives, our choices, and our ultimate sacrifices bring glory and honor to Your name. Strengthen our faith by Your Holy Spirit so that we can love You boldly and serve You without holding back.

In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Bible Study Tools I Use

Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter

  1. DO YOU LOVE ME? … FEED MY SHEEP / JOHN 21:17
  2. TAKE CARE OF MY SHEEP / JOHN 21:16
  3. DO YOU TRULY LOVE ME / JOHN 21:15
  4. THROW YOUR NET ON THE RIGHT SIDE / JOHN 21:6
  5. I’M GOING OUT TO FISH / JOHN 21:3
  6. MY LORD AND MY GOD / JOHN 20:28
  7. DO NOT HOLD ON TO ME / JOHN 20:17
  8. JESUS APPEARS TO MARY / JOHN 20:16
  9. A NEW TOMB / JOHN 19:41
  10. IT IS FINISHED / JOHN 19:30
  11. WINE VINEGAR / JOHN 19:29
  12. DEAR WOMAN HERE IS YOUR SON / JOHN 19:26
  13. WE HAVE NO KING BUT CAESAR / JOHN 19:15
  14. THE SIXTH HOUR / JOHN 19:14
  15. POWER … GIVEN TO YOU FROM ABOVE / JOHN 19:11
  16. I FIND NO BASIS FOR A CHARGE / JOHN 19:4
  17. TESTIFY TO THE TRUTH / JOHN 18:37
  18. MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD / JOHN 18:36
  19. THE CUP / JOHN 18:11
  20. THE GLORY THAT YOU GAVE ME / JOHN 17:22-23
  21. THAT ALL OF THEM MAY BE ONE / JOHN 17:21
  22. I SANCTIFY MYSELF / JOHN 17:19
  23. SANCTIFY THEM BY THE TRUTH / JOHN 17:17
  24. THEY HAVE OBEYED YOUR WORD / JOHN 17:6
  25. ETERNAL LIFE / JOHN 17:3
  26. JESUS’ PRAYER JOHN 17:1
  27. THE FATHER HIMSELF LOVES YOU / JOHN 16:27
  28. TAKING FROM WHAT IS MINE / JOHN 16:14
  29. HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH / JOHN 16:13
  30. CONVICT THE WORLD / JOHN 16:8
  31. IF I GO I WILL SEND HIM / JOHN 16:7
  32. THEY WILL PERSECUTE YOU ALSO / JOHN 15:20
  33. GO AND BEAR FRUIT / JOHN 15:16
  34. REMAIN IN MY LOVE / JOHN 15:9-10
  35. ASK WHATEVER YOU WISH / JOHN 15:7
  36. LIKE A BRANCH THAT IS THROWN AWAY / JOHN 15:6
  37. REMAIN IN ME / JOHN 15:4
  38. EVERY BRANCH / JOHN 15:2
  39. WE WILL … MAKE OUR HOME WITH HIM / JOHN 14:23
  40. I AM THE TRUE VINE / JOHN 15:1
  41. HOLY SPIRIT / JOHN 14:26
  42. HE WHO DOES NOT LOVE ME / JOHN 14:24
  43. WE WILL … MAKE OUR HOME WITH HIM / JOHN 14:23
  44. WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDS / JOHN 14:21
  45. I WILL COME TO YOU / JOHN 14:18
  46. THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH – WITH YOU AND WILL BE IN YOU / JOHN 14:17
  47. I WILL ASK THE FATHER – COUNSELOR / JOHN 14:16
  48. IF YOU LOVE ME YOU WILL OBEY / JOHN 14:15
  49. ASK IN MY NAME / JOHN 14:13
  50. GREATER THINGS / JOHN 14:12
  51. I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE / JOHN 14:6
  52. I WILL COME BACK / JOHN 14:3
  53. MY FATHER’S HOUSE / JOHN 14:1-4
  54. LOVED PRAISE FROM MEN / JOHN 12:42-43
  55. KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES / JOHN 13:35
  56. LOVE ONE ANOTHER / JOHN 13:34
  57. AT A LOSS TO KNOW WHICH OF THEM HE MEANT / JOHN 13:22
  58. WASH ONE ANOTHER’S FEET / JOHN 13:14
  59. UNLESS I WASH YOU / JOHN 13:8
  60. WASH HIS DISCIPLES FEET /JOHN 13:5
  61. LOVED PRAISE FROM MEN / JOHN 12:42-43
  62. THEY COULD NOT BELIEVE / JOHN 12:39-40
  63. DRAW ALL MEN TO MYSELF / JOHN 12:32
  64. PRINCE OF THIS WORLD WILL BE DRIVEN OUT / JOHN 12:31
  65. WHOEVER SERVES ME / JOHN 12:26
  66. HATES HIS LIFE IN THIS WORLD / JOHN 12:25
  67. SON OF MAN … GLORIFIED / JOHN 12:23-24
  68. MARY … POURED IT ON JESUS’ FEET / JOHN 12:3
  69. FOR THE SCATTERED CHILDREN OF GOD / JOHN 11:52
  70. THE DEAD MAN CAME OUT / JOHN 11:44
  71. JESUS WEPT / JOHN 11:35
  72. DEEPLY MOVED IN SPIRIT / JOHN 11:33
  73. I BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE THE CHRIST / JOHN 11:27
  74. I AM THE RESURRECTION / JOHN 11:25-26
  75. STAYED WHERE HE WAS TWO MORE DAYS / JOHN 11:6
  76. JESUS LOVED MARTHA AND HER SISTER AND LAZARUS / JOHN 11:5
  77. SICKNESS … FOR GOD’S GLORY / JOHN 11:4
  78. THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH / JOHN 10:28
  79. YOU ARE GODS? / JOHN 10:34
  80. THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH / JOHN 10:28
  81. MY SHEEP LISTEN TO MY VOICE / JOHN 10:27
  82. I KNOW MY SHEEP / JOHN 10:14-15
  83. I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD / JOHN 10:11
  84. THE THIEF COMES … I HAVE COME / JOHN 10:10
  85. I AM THE GATE / JOHN 10:9
  86. JESUS THE GOOD SHEPHERD / JOHN 10:1
  87. THOSE WHO SEE WILL BECOME BLIND / JOHN 9:39
  88. THEY THREW HIM OUT / JOHN 9:34
  89. WORK OF GOD MIGHT BE DISPLAYED / JOHN 9:3
  90. BEFORE ABRAHAM WAS BORN, I AM / JOHN 8:58
  91. HE IS A LIEAR AND THE FATHER OF LIES / JOHN 8:44
  92. IF GOD WERE YOUR FATHER / JOHN 8:42
  93. YOU WILL BE FREE INDEED / JOHN 8:36
  94. EVERYONE WHO SINS / JOHN 8:34
  95. THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE / JOHN 8:32
  96. IF YOU HOLD TO MY TEACHING / JOHN 8:31
  97. I PASS JUDGMENT ON NO ONE / JOHN 8:15
  98. I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD / JOHN 8:12
  99. NEITHER DO I CONDEMN YOU / JOHN 8:11
  100. IF ANY ONE OF YOU IS WITHOUT SIN / JOHN 8:7
  101. GAIN HONOR FOR HIMSELF / JOHN 7:18
  102. JESUS HAD NOT YET BEEN GLORIFIED / JOHN 7:39
  103. AS THE SCRIPTURE HAS SAID – STREAMS OF LIVING WATER / JOHN 7:38
  104. GAIN HONOR FOR HIMSELF / JOHN 7:18
  105. IF ANYONE CHOOSES TO DO GOD’S WILL / JOHN 7:17
  106. IT HATES ME / JOHN 7:6-7
  107. FEAST OF TABERNACLES / JOHN 7:2-3
  108. JESUS HAD KNOWN FROM THE BEGINNING / JOHN 6:64
  109. EATS MY FLESH AND DRINKS MY BLOOD / JOHN 6:54
  110. THE FATHER … DRAWS HIM / JOHN 6:44
  111. MY FATHER’S WILL / JOHN 6:40
  112. I WILL NEVER DRIVE AWAY / JOHN 6:37
  113. I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE / JOHN 6:35
  114. MIRACLES / JOHN 6:1-2
  115. DO NOT BELIEVE WHAT HE WROTE / JOHN 5:47
  116. ACCEPT PRAISE FROM ONE ANOTHER / JOHN 5:44
  117. YOU DILIGENTLY STUDY / JOHN 5:39-40
  118. THOSE WHO HAVE DONE GOOD – RISE TO LIVE – THOSE WHO HAVE DONE EVIL / JOHN 5:29
  119. HAS GRANTED THE SON TO HAVE LIFE IN HIMSELF / JOHN 5:26
  120. HEARS … BELIEVES – WILL NOT BE CONDEMNED / JOHN 5:24
  121. MAKING HIMSELF EQUAL WITH GOD / JOHN 5:18-24
  122. PERSECUTED HIM / JOHN 5:16
  123. STOP SINNING / JOHN 5:14
  124. THE MAN WAS CURED / JOHN 5:9
  125. THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS / JOHN 5:5
  126. SIGNS AND WONDERS / JOHN 4:48
  127. CROP FOR ETERNAL LIFE / JOHN 4:36
  128. SURPRISED TO FIND HIM TALKING WITH A WOMAN / JOHN 4:27
  129. TRUTH / JOHN 4:24
  130. WORSHIP … IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH / JOHN 4:23-24
  131. SAMARITANS WORSHIP WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW / JOHN 4:22
  132. WATER … ETERNAL LIFE / JOHN 4:14
  133. SAMARITAN WOMAN / JOHN 4:7
  134. WHOEVER REJECTS / JOHN 3:36
  135. LOVED DARKNESS INSTEAD OF LIGHT / JOHN 3:19
  136. GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD / JOHN 3:16
  137. JUST AS MOSES LIFTED UP THE SNAKE / JOHN 3:14-15
  138. THE WIND … THE SPIRIT / JOHN 3:8
  139. BORN OF WATER / JOHN 3:5
  140. DROVE ALL FROM THE TEMPLE AREA / JOHN 2:15
  141. SIGNS / JOHN 2:11
  142. CHOICE WINE – HAD TOO MUCH TO DRINK / JOHN 2:10
  143. WINE – THEY HAVE NOT MORE WINE / JOHN 2:3
  144. YOU SHALL SEE HEAVEN OPEN / JOHN 1:51
  145. CEPHAS … PETER / JOHN 1:42
  146. THE FIRST THING ANDREW DID / JOHN 1:41
  147. WILL BAPTIZE WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT / JOHN 1:33
  148. LAMB OF GOD / JOHN 1:29
  149. GRACE AND TRUTH / JOHN 1:17
  150. THE WORD BECAME FLESH / JOHN 1:14
  151. BORN NOT OF … HUMAN DECISION / JOHN 1:13
  152. RECEIVED … BELIEVED / JOHN 1:12
  153. THE WORLD DID NOT RECOGNIZE HIM / JOHN 1:10
  154. GIVES LIGHT TO EVERY MAN / JOHN 1:9
  155. LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS /JOHN 1:5
  156. LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF MEN / JOHN 1:4
  157. WITH GOD IN THE BEGINNING / JOHN 1:2
  158. THE WORD / JOHN 1:1
  159. GUIDED BY GRACE ABOUT

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog post! May the words inspire and uplift all who read them. Your support and interest mean the world to me, and I’m grateful for every moment you spend here. Stay tuned for more, and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!” Blessings, Margarita & Stace

Guided By Grace
Posted on

DO YOU LOVE ME? … FEED MY SHEEP / JOHN 21:17

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) John 21:17

He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

The Ultimate Qualification: Why Love Matters Most in Christian Service

When Jesus stood on the shore of the Sea of Galilee in John 21, He didn’t ask Peter for a resume. He didn’t review Peter’s past leadership successes, nor did He test his theological knowledge. Instead, He asked one piercing question three times:

“Simon, son of John, do you love me?” (John 21:17)

When Peter answered in the affirmative, Jesus gave him a clear command: “Feed my sheep.”

Through this powerful exchange, Jesus established a foundational truth for everyone who desires to serve Him: Love is the ultimate qualification for Christian service.

The Priority of Heart Over Ability

In our modern world, we place a high premium on skill, talent, charisma, and strategic planning. Ministries and churches often look for leaders who are organized, eloquent, and highly capable.

Scripture does support the need for structure and character. In 1 Timothy 3:1-13, the Apostle Paul outlines strict requirements for overseers and deacons. Leaders must be above reproach, self-controlled, able to teach, and respected. These standards are vital for maintaining order and integrity within the church.

However, Jesus’ conversation with Peter reminds us that organizational skills and leadership traits mean nothing if they do not flow from a heart of devotion. You can be the most organized administrator or the most captivating speaker, but if your service is not fueled by love for Christ, it is empty.

Moving Beyond Empty Noise

Paul echoes this exact truth in his famous letter to the Corinthians. He writes:

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-2)

Without love, our greatest spiritual achievements shrink to nothing.

  • Knowledge without love becomes arrogance.
  • Talent without love becomes self-promotion.
  • Service without love becomes legalism and leads to burnout.

Other character qualities and practical requirements are absolutely needed to protect the church and guide the ministry. But none of them can ever take the place of a deep, abiding love for Christ and for His people. Love is the engine; everything else is just the vehicle.

Feeding the Sheep

Jesus connected our love for Him directly to how we treat others. He told Peter that the natural overflow of loving the Shepherd is feeding the sheep.

To feed Christ’s sheep means to care for them, protect them, serve them, and point them back to the Truth. It is often messy, exhausting, and thankless work. Human discipline and sheer willpower will eventually fail you when the ministry gets tough. Only a profound love for Jesus can sustain you when the sheep are difficult to love.

If you want to serve God effectively, start by looking inward. Do not ask yourself if you are talented enough, smart enough, or experienced enough. First, listen to the quiet voice of Jesus asking you the exact same question He asked Peter on the shoreline:

“Do you love me?”

Let your answer to that question be the foundation of everything you do for His kingdom.

A Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the privilege of serving Your kingdom and caring for Your people. Forgive us for the times we have prioritized our own talents, recognition, or strategies over a pure devotion to You. Help us to remember that without love, our finest efforts are nothing more than empty noise.

Jesus, we hear You asking us today, “Do you love me?” We answer yes, Lord, we love You. Let that love be the anchor of our hearts and the fuel for our service. Grant us the grace, patience, and humility to feed Your sheep well. Kindle a deep affection in our hearts for You and for the people You have placed in our care. May everything we do bring honor to Your name.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Bible Study Tools I Use

Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter

  1. TAKE CARE OF MY SHEEP / JOHN 21:16
  2. DO YOU TRULY LOVE ME / JOHN 21:15
  3. THROW YOUR NET ON THE RIGHT SIDE / JOHN 21:6
  4. I’M GOING OUT TO FISH / JOHN 21:3
  5. MY LORD AND MY GOD / JOHN 20:28
  6. DO NOT HOLD ON TO ME / JOHN 20:17
  7. JESUS APPEARS TO MARY / JOHN 20:16
  8. A NEW TOMB / JOHN 19:41
  9. IT IS FINISHED / JOHN 19:30
  10. WINE VINEGAR / JOHN 19:29
  11. DEAR WOMAN HERE IS YOUR SON / JOHN 19:26
  12. WE HAVE NO KING BUT CAESAR / JOHN 19:15
  13. THE SIXTH HOUR / JOHN 19:14
  14. POWER … GIVEN TO YOU FROM ABOVE / JOHN 19:11
  15. I FIND NO BASIS FOR A CHARGE / JOHN 19:4
  16. TESTIFY TO THE TRUTH / JOHN 18:37
  17. MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD / JOHN 18:36
  18. THE CUP / JOHN 18:11
  19. THE GLORY THAT YOU GAVE ME / JOHN 17:22-23
  20. THAT ALL OF THEM MAY BE ONE / JOHN 17:21
  21. I SANCTIFY MYSELF / JOHN 17:19
  22. SANCTIFY THEM BY THE TRUTH / JOHN 17:17
  23. THEY HAVE OBEYED YOUR WORD / JOHN 17:6
  24. ETERNAL LIFE / JOHN 17:3
  25. JESUS’ PRAYER JOHN 17:1
  26. THE FATHER HIMSELF LOVES YOU / JOHN 16:27
  27. TAKING FROM WHAT IS MINE / JOHN 16:14
  28. HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH / JOHN 16:13
  29. CONVICT THE WORLD / JOHN 16:8
  30. IF I GO I WILL SEND HIM / JOHN 16:7
  31. THEY WILL PERSECUTE YOU ALSO / JOHN 15:20
  32. GO AND BEAR FRUIT / JOHN 15:16
  33. REMAIN IN MY LOVE / JOHN 15:9-10
  34. ASK WHATEVER YOU WISH / JOHN 15:7
  35. LIKE A BRANCH THAT IS THROWN AWAY / JOHN 15:6
  36. REMAIN IN ME / JOHN 15:4
  37. EVERY BRANCH / JOHN 15:2
  38. WE WILL … MAKE OUR HOME WITH HIM / JOHN 14:23
  39. I AM THE TRUE VINE / JOHN 15:1
  40. HOLY SPIRIT / JOHN 14:26
  41. HE WHO DOES NOT LOVE ME / JOHN 14:24
  42. WE WILL … MAKE OUR HOME WITH HIM / JOHN 14:23
  43. WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDS / JOHN 14:21
  44. I WILL COME TO YOU / JOHN 14:18
  45. THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH – WITH YOU AND WILL BE IN YOU / JOHN 14:17
  46. I WILL ASK THE FATHER – COUNSELOR / JOHN 14:16
  47. IF YOU LOVE ME YOU WILL OBEY / JOHN 14:15
  48. ASK IN MY NAME / JOHN 14:13
  49. GREATER THINGS / JOHN 14:12
  50. I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE / JOHN 14:6
  51. I WILL COME BACK / JOHN 14:3
  52. MY FATHER’S HOUSE / JOHN 14:1-4
  53. LOVED PRAISE FROM MEN / JOHN 12:42-43
  54. KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES / JOHN 13:35
  55. LOVE ONE ANOTHER / JOHN 13:34
  56. AT A LOSS TO KNOW WHICH OF THEM HE MEANT / JOHN 13:22
  57. WASH ONE ANOTHER’S FEET / JOHN 13:14
  58. UNLESS I WASH YOU / JOHN 13:8
  59. WASH HIS DISCIPLES FEET /JOHN 13:5
  60. LOVED PRAISE FROM MEN / JOHN 12:42-43
  61. THEY COULD NOT BELIEVE / JOHN 12:39-40
  62. DRAW ALL MEN TO MYSELF / JOHN 12:32
  63. PRINCE OF THIS WORLD WILL BE DRIVEN OUT / JOHN 12:31
  64. WHOEVER SERVES ME / JOHN 12:26
  65. HATES HIS LIFE IN THIS WORLD / JOHN 12:25
  66. SON OF MAN … GLORIFIED / JOHN 12:23-24
  67. MARY … POURED IT ON JESUS’ FEET / JOHN 12:3
  68. FOR THE SCATTERED CHILDREN OF GOD / JOHN 11:52
  69. THE DEAD MAN CAME OUT / JOHN 11:44
  70. JESUS WEPT / JOHN 11:35
  71. DEEPLY MOVED IN SPIRIT / JOHN 11:33
  72. I BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE THE CHRIST / JOHN 11:27
  73. I AM THE RESURRECTION / JOHN 11:25-26
  74. STAYED WHERE HE WAS TWO MORE DAYS / JOHN 11:6
  75. JESUS LOVED MARTHA AND HER SISTER AND LAZARUS / JOHN 11:5
  76. SICKNESS … FOR GOD’S GLORY / JOHN 11:4
  77. THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH / JOHN 10:28
  78. YOU ARE GODS? / JOHN 10:34
  79. THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH / JOHN 10:28
  80. MY SHEEP LISTEN TO MY VOICE / JOHN 10:27
  81. I KNOW MY SHEEP / JOHN 10:14-15
  82. I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD / JOHN 10:11
  83. THE THIEF COMES … I HAVE COME / JOHN 10:10
  84. I AM THE GATE / JOHN 10:9
  85. JESUS THE GOOD SHEPHERD / JOHN 10:1
  86. THOSE WHO SEE WILL BECOME BLIND / JOHN 9:39
  87. THEY THREW HIM OUT / JOHN 9:34
  88. WORK OF GOD MIGHT BE DISPLAYED / JOHN 9:3
  89. BEFORE ABRAHAM WAS BORN, I AM / JOHN 8:58
  90. HE IS A LIEAR AND THE FATHER OF LIES / JOHN 8:44
  91. IF GOD WERE YOUR FATHER / JOHN 8:42
  92. YOU WILL BE FREE INDEED / JOHN 8:36
  93. EVERYONE WHO SINS / JOHN 8:34
  94. THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE / JOHN 8:32
  95. IF YOU HOLD TO MY TEACHING / JOHN 8:31
  96. I PASS JUDGMENT ON NO ONE / JOHN 8:15
  97. I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD / JOHN 8:12
  98. NEITHER DO I CONDEMN YOU / JOHN 8:11
  99. IF ANY ONE OF YOU IS WITHOUT SIN / JOHN 8:7
  100. GAIN HONOR FOR HIMSELF / JOHN 7:18
  101. JESUS HAD NOT YET BEEN GLORIFIED / JOHN 7:39
  102. AS THE SCRIPTURE HAS SAID – STREAMS OF LIVING WATER / JOHN 7:38
  103. GAIN HONOR FOR HIMSELF / JOHN 7:18
  104. IF ANYONE CHOOSES TO DO GOD’S WILL / JOHN 7:17
  105. IT HATES ME / JOHN 7:6-7
  106. FEAST OF TABERNACLES / JOHN 7:2-3
  107. JESUS HAD KNOWN FROM THE BEGINNING / JOHN 6:64
  108. EATS MY FLESH AND DRINKS MY BLOOD / JOHN 6:54
  109. THE FATHER … DRAWS HIM / JOHN 6:44
  110. MY FATHER’S WILL / JOHN 6:40
  111. I WILL NEVER DRIVE AWAY / JOHN 6:37
  112. I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE / JOHN 6:35
  113. MIRACLES / JOHN 6:1-2
  114. DO NOT BELIEVE WHAT HE WROTE / JOHN 5:47
  115. ACCEPT PRAISE FROM ONE ANOTHER / JOHN 5:44
  116. YOU DILIGENTLY STUDY / JOHN 5:39-40
  117. THOSE WHO HAVE DONE GOOD – RISE TO LIVE – THOSE WHO HAVE DONE EVIL / JOHN 5:29
  118. HAS GRANTED THE SON TO HAVE LIFE IN HIMSELF / JOHN 5:26
  119. HEARS … BELIEVES – WILL NOT BE CONDEMNED / JOHN 5:24
  120. MAKING HIMSELF EQUAL WITH GOD / JOHN 5:18-24
  121. PERSECUTED HIM / JOHN 5:16
  122. STOP SINNING / JOHN 5:14
  123. THE MAN WAS CURED / JOHN 5:9
  124. THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS / JOHN 5:5
  125. SIGNS AND WONDERS / JOHN 4:48
  126. CROP FOR ETERNAL LIFE / JOHN 4:36
  127. SURPRISED TO FIND HIM TALKING WITH A WOMAN / JOHN 4:27
  128. TRUTH / JOHN 4:24
  129. WORSHIP … IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH / JOHN 4:23-24
  130. SAMARITANS WORSHIP WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW / JOHN 4:22
  131. WATER … ETERNAL LIFE / JOHN 4:14
  132. SAMARITAN WOMAN / JOHN 4:7
  133. WHOEVER REJECTS / JOHN 3:36
  134. LOVED DARKNESS INSTEAD OF LIGHT / JOHN 3:19
  135. GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD / JOHN 3:16
  136. JUST AS MOSES LIFTED UP THE SNAKE / JOHN 3:14-15
  137. THE WIND … THE SPIRIT / JOHN 3:8
  138. BORN OF WATER / JOHN 3:5
  139. DROVE ALL FROM THE TEMPLE AREA / JOHN 2:15
  140. SIGNS / JOHN 2:11
  141. CHOICE WINE – HAD TOO MUCH TO DRINK / JOHN 2:10
  142. WINE – THEY HAVE NOT MORE WINE / JOHN 2:3
  143. YOU SHALL SEE HEAVEN OPEN / JOHN 1:51
  144. CEPHAS … PETER / JOHN 1:42
  145. THE FIRST THING ANDREW DID / JOHN 1:41
  146. WILL BAPTIZE WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT / JOHN 1:33
  147. LAMB OF GOD / JOHN 1:29
  148. GRACE AND TRUTH / JOHN 1:17
  149. THE WORD BECAME FLESH / JOHN 1:14
  150. BORN NOT OF … HUMAN DECISION / JOHN 1:13
  151. RECEIVED … BELIEVED / JOHN 1:12
  152. THE WORLD DID NOT RECOGNIZE HIM / JOHN 1:10
  153. GIVES LIGHT TO EVERY MAN / JOHN 1:9
  154. LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS /JOHN 1:5
  155. LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF MEN / JOHN 1:4
  156. WITH GOD IN THE BEGINNING / JOHN 1:2
  157. THE WORD / JOHN 1:1
  158. GUIDED BY GRACE ABOUT

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog post! May the words inspire and uplift all who read them. Your support and interest mean the world to me, and I’m grateful for every moment you spend here. Stay tuned for more, and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!” Blessings, Margarita & Stace

Guided By Grace
Posted on

TAKE CARE OF MY SHEEP / JOHN 21:16

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) John 21:16

 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

TAKE CARE OF MY SHEEP / JOHN 21:16

Living as His Flock: What “Take Care of My Sheep” Means for Us Today

In John 21:16, Jesus locks eyes with Peter and issues a profound, timeless command: “Take care of my sheep.” This wasn’t just a directive for an ancient apostle; it reveals the deep, enduring relationship Christ desires to have with all of us.

By describing His followers as lambs in John 21:15 and sheep in verse 16, Jesus paints a vivid picture of our human nature and our spiritual needs. Here are four vital truths this imagery suggests for our daily faith walk:

1. We Need Pastoral Care

Sheep cannot survive long on their own. They require constant, intentional oversight.

  • Loving Leaders: We need pastoral care from capable, faithful leaders who reflect the heart of the Good Shepherd.
  • Spiritual Community: Healthy leaders protect, nurture, and guide the church community through life’s unexpected storms.

2. We Need Constantly to Feed on God’s Word

A healthy flock needs fertile ground to graze upon.

  • Daily Nourishment: Just as sheep require daily grass, we must feed constantly on God’s Word to sustain our spiritual life.
  • The Living Bread: Scripture is our primary source of truth, wisdom, and inner strength.

3. We Need Guidance, Protection, and Correction

Because sheep have an innate wandering nature, they easily find themselves off course or in danger.

  • Divine Course Correction: We rely on the holy guidance and protection of God to keep us safe.
  • Accountability: God often uses the wise counsel and loving correction of trusted brothers and sisters in Christ to bring us back when we drift.

4. We Must Continue to Be Loyal Disciples

Belonging to the flock means actively responding to the Shepherd’s call.

  • Disciplined Learners: We are called to be dedicated, lifelong students of Jesus Christ.
  • Active Followers: True discipleship means staying loyal to His voice, mirroring His character, and serving His global flock.

A Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, You are the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the flock. Thank You for calling us Your sheep and for loving us with an everlasting love. We confess that our hearts are prone to wander, and we desperately need Your constant guidance, protection, and correction. Help us to submit to the godly leaders You place in our lives and to feast daily upon the truth of Your Word. Give us the grace to remain loyal disciples, listening closely for Your voice and following wherever You lead. May our lives reflect Your love as we care for one another. In Your holy name, we pray. Amen.

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Bible Study Tools I Use

Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter

  1. DO YOU TRULY LOVE ME / JOHN 21:15
  2. THROW YOUR NET ON THE RIGHT SIDE / JOHN 21:6
  3. I’M GOING OUT TO FISH / JOHN 21:3
  4. MY LORD AND MY GOD / JOHN 20:28
  5. DO NOT HOLD ON TO ME / JOHN 20:17
  6. JESUS APPEARS TO MARY / JOHN 20:16
  7. A NEW TOMB / JOHN 19:41
  8. IT IS FINISHED / JOHN 19:30
  9. WINE VINEGAR / JOHN 19:29
  10. DEAR WOMAN HERE IS YOUR SON / JOHN 19:26
  11. WE HAVE NO KING BUT CAESAR / JOHN 19:15
  12. THE SIXTH HOUR / JOHN 19:14
  13. POWER … GIVEN TO YOU FROM ABOVE / JOHN 19:11
  14. I FIND NO BASIS FOR A CHARGE / JOHN 19:4
  15. TESTIFY TO THE TRUTH / JOHN 18:37
  16. MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD / JOHN 18:36
  17. THE CUP / JOHN 18:11
  18. THE GLORY THAT YOU GAVE ME / JOHN 17:22-23
  19. THAT ALL OF THEM MAY BE ONE / JOHN 17:21
  20. I SANCTIFY MYSELF / JOHN 17:19
  21. SANCTIFY THEM BY THE TRUTH / JOHN 17:17
  22. THEY HAVE OBEYED YOUR WORD / JOHN 17:6
  23. ETERNAL LIFE / JOHN 17:3
  24. JESUS’ PRAYER JOHN 17:1
  25. THE FATHER HIMSELF LOVES YOU / JOHN 16:27
  26. TAKING FROM WHAT IS MINE / JOHN 16:14
  27. HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH / JOHN 16:13
  28. CONVICT THE WORLD / JOHN 16:8
  29. IF I GO I WILL SEND HIM / JOHN 16:7
  30. THEY WILL PERSECUTE YOU ALSO / JOHN 15:20
  31. GO AND BEAR FRUIT / JOHN 15:16
  32. REMAIN IN MY LOVE / JOHN 15:9-10
  33. ASK WHATEVER YOU WISH / JOHN 15:7
  34. LIKE A BRANCH THAT IS THROWN AWAY / JOHN 15:6
  35. REMAIN IN ME / JOHN 15:4
  36. EVERY BRANCH / JOHN 15:2
  37. WE WILL … MAKE OUR HOME WITH HIM / JOHN 14:23
  38. I AM THE TRUE VINE / JOHN 15:1
  39. HOLY SPIRIT / JOHN 14:26
  40. HE WHO DOES NOT LOVE ME / JOHN 14:24
  41. WE WILL … MAKE OUR HOME WITH HIM / JOHN 14:23
  42. WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDS / JOHN 14:21
  43. I WILL COME TO YOU / JOHN 14:18
  44. THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH – WITH YOU AND WILL BE IN YOU / JOHN 14:17
  45. I WILL ASK THE FATHER – COUNSELOR / JOHN 14:16
  46. IF YOU LOVE ME YOU WILL OBEY / JOHN 14:15
  47. ASK IN MY NAME / JOHN 14:13
  48. GREATER THINGS / JOHN 14:12
  49. I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE / JOHN 14:6
  50. I WILL COME BACK / JOHN 14:3
  51. MY FATHER’S HOUSE / JOHN 14:1-4
  52. LOVED PRAISE FROM MEN / JOHN 12:42-43
  53. KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES / JOHN 13:35
  54. LOVE ONE ANOTHER / JOHN 13:34
  55. AT A LOSS TO KNOW WHICH OF THEM HE MEANT / JOHN 13:22
  56. WASH ONE ANOTHER’S FEET / JOHN 13:14
  57. UNLESS I WASH YOU / JOHN 13:8
  58. WASH HIS DISCIPLES FEET /JOHN 13:5
  59. LOVED PRAISE FROM MEN / JOHN 12:42-43
  60. THEY COULD NOT BELIEVE / JOHN 12:39-40
  61. DRAW ALL MEN TO MYSELF / JOHN 12:32
  62. PRINCE OF THIS WORLD WILL BE DRIVEN OUT / JOHN 12:31
  63. WHOEVER SERVES ME / JOHN 12:26
  64. HATES HIS LIFE IN THIS WORLD / JOHN 12:25
  65. SON OF MAN … GLORIFIED / JOHN 12:23-24
  66. MARY … POURED IT ON JESUS’ FEET / JOHN 12:3
  67. FOR THE SCATTERED CHILDREN OF GOD / JOHN 11:52
  68. THE DEAD MAN CAME OUT / JOHN 11:44
  69. JESUS WEPT / JOHN 11:35
  70. DEEPLY MOVED IN SPIRIT / JOHN 11:33
  71. I BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE THE CHRIST / JOHN 11:27
  72. I AM THE RESURRECTION / JOHN 11:25-26
  73. STAYED WHERE HE WAS TWO MORE DAYS / JOHN 11:6
  74. JESUS LOVED MARTHA AND HER SISTER AND LAZARUS / JOHN 11:5
  75. SICKNESS … FOR GOD’S GLORY / JOHN 11:4
  76. THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH / JOHN 10:28
  77. YOU ARE GODS? / JOHN 10:34
  78. THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH / JOHN 10:28
  79. MY SHEEP LISTEN TO MY VOICE / JOHN 10:27
  80. I KNOW MY SHEEP / JOHN 10:14-15
  81. I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD / JOHN 10:11
  82. THE THIEF COMES … I HAVE COME / JOHN 10:10
  83. I AM THE GATE / JOHN 10:9
  84. JESUS THE GOOD SHEPHERD / JOHN 10:1
  85. THOSE WHO SEE WILL BECOME BLIND / JOHN 9:39
  86. THEY THREW HIM OUT / JOHN 9:34
  87. WORK OF GOD MIGHT BE DISPLAYED / JOHN 9:3
  88. BEFORE ABRAHAM WAS BORN, I AM / JOHN 8:58
  89. HE IS A LIEAR AND THE FATHER OF LIES / JOHN 8:44
  90. IF GOD WERE YOUR FATHER / JOHN 8:42
  91. YOU WILL BE FREE INDEED / JOHN 8:36
  92. EVERYONE WHO SINS / JOHN 8:34
  93. THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE / JOHN 8:32
  94. IF YOU HOLD TO MY TEACHING / JOHN 8:31
  95. I PASS JUDGMENT ON NO ONE / JOHN 8:15
  96. I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD / JOHN 8:12
  97. NEITHER DO I CONDEMN YOU / JOHN 8:11
  98. IF ANY ONE OF YOU IS WITHOUT SIN / JOHN 8:7
  99. GAIN HONOR FOR HIMSELF / JOHN 7:18
  100. JESUS HAD NOT YET BEEN GLORIFIED / JOHN 7:39
  101. AS THE SCRIPTURE HAS SAID – STREAMS OF LIVING WATER / JOHN 7:38
  102. GAIN HONOR FOR HIMSELF / JOHN 7:18
  103. IF ANYONE CHOOSES TO DO GOD’S WILL / JOHN 7:17
  104. IT HATES ME / JOHN 7:6-7
  105. FEAST OF TABERNACLES / JOHN 7:2-3
  106. JESUS HAD KNOWN FROM THE BEGINNING / JOHN 6:64
  107. EATS MY FLESH AND DRINKS MY BLOOD / JOHN 6:54
  108. THE FATHER … DRAWS HIM / JOHN 6:44
  109. MY FATHER’S WILL / JOHN 6:40
  110. I WILL NEVER DRIVE AWAY / JOHN 6:37
  111. I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE / JOHN 6:35
  112. MIRACLES / JOHN 6:1-2
  113. DO NOT BELIEVE WHAT HE WROTE / JOHN 5:47
  114. ACCEPT PRAISE FROM ONE ANOTHER / JOHN 5:44
  115. YOU DILIGENTLY STUDY / JOHN 5:39-40
  116. THOSE WHO HAVE DONE GOOD – RISE TO LIVE – THOSE WHO HAVE DONE EVIL / JOHN 5:29
  117. HAS GRANTED THE SON TO HAVE LIFE IN HIMSELF / JOHN 5:26
  118. HEARS … BELIEVES – WILL NOT BE CONDEMNED / JOHN 5:24
  119. MAKING HIMSELF EQUAL WITH GOD / JOHN 5:18-24
  120. PERSECUTED HIM / JOHN 5:16
  121. STOP SINNING / JOHN 5:14
  122. THE MAN WAS CURED / JOHN 5:9
  123. THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS / JOHN 5:5
  124. SIGNS AND WONDERS / JOHN 4:48
  125. CROP FOR ETERNAL LIFE / JOHN 4:36
  126. SURPRISED TO FIND HIM TALKING WITH A WOMAN / JOHN 4:27
  127. TRUTH / JOHN 4:24
  128. WORSHIP … IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH / JOHN 4:23-24
  129. SAMARITANS WORSHIP WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW / JOHN 4:22
  130. WATER … ETERNAL LIFE / JOHN 4:14
  131. SAMARITAN WOMAN / JOHN 4:7
  132. WHOEVER REJECTS / JOHN 3:36
  133. LOVED DARKNESS INSTEAD OF LIGHT / JOHN 3:19
  134. GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD / JOHN 3:16
  135. JUST AS MOSES LIFTED UP THE SNAKE / JOHN 3:14-15
  136. THE WIND … THE SPIRIT / JOHN 3:8
  137. BORN OF WATER / JOHN 3:5
  138. DROVE ALL FROM THE TEMPLE AREA / JOHN 2:15
  139. SIGNS / JOHN 2:11
  140. CHOICE WINE – HAD TOO MUCH TO DRINK / JOHN 2:10
  141. WINE – THEY HAVE NOT MORE WINE / JOHN 2:3
  142. YOU SHALL SEE HEAVEN OPEN / JOHN 1:51
  143. CEPHAS … PETER / JOHN 1:42
  144. THE FIRST THING ANDREW DID / JOHN 1:41
  145. WILL BAPTIZE WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT / JOHN 1:33
  146. LAMB OF GOD / JOHN 1:29
  147. GRACE AND TRUTH / JOHN 1:17
  148. THE WORD BECAME FLESH / JOHN 1:14
  149. BORN NOT OF … HUMAN DECISION / JOHN 1:13
  150. RECEIVED … BELIEVED / JOHN 1:12
  151. THE WORLD DID NOT RECOGNIZE HIM / JOHN 1:10
  152. GIVES LIGHT TO EVERY MAN / JOHN 1:9
  153. LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS /JOHN 1:5
  154. LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF MEN / JOHN 1:4
  155. WITH GOD IN THE BEGINNING / JOHN 1:2
  156. THE WORD / JOHN 1:1
  157. GUIDED BY GRACE ABOUT

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog post! May the words inspire and uplift all who read them. Your support and interest mean the world to me, and I’m grateful for every moment you spend here. Stay tuned for more, and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!” Blessings, Margarita & Stace

Guided By Grace
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