There is an account given from an elderly pastor who, when looking back on his ministry, said that in the beginning he believed Christians just needed to know the Bible. As years passed his thinking changed to Christians just need to learn to obey Scripture. And then finally in his later years, he realized that what Christians really need is to know the God of the Bible.

Jesus speaking……Search the scriptures: for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify of me.

The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: John 19:31-33

Breaking the legs of the victims of crucifixion hastened their death. With the legs intact, the crucified individual could continue to push his body upward in order to breathe thus prolonging his life. With the legs broken the victim could no longer support or push his body upward to catch a breath, thus hastening death by suffocation. By the breaking of the legs the only means to continue to live is removed.

Scripture teaches that the issues of life stem from the heart. Jesus taught that what comes from the mouth comes from the heart. Jeremiah instructed us that the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know it.

The author of Proverbs admonishes us over and over to write on the tablet of one’s heart the Word of God and to keep one’s heart with all diligence. It is impossible to do this with a heart in rebellion to God. It is impossible to do this with a heart that justifies itself. A broken heart is one that can no longer justify its sin. A broken heart is one that can no longer support its natural state of rebellion to God. A broken heart is one that has given up all support from self-justification. A broken heart is one that has accepted the verdict of guilty before God. A broken heart is one that is ready to trust Jesus Christ and His merit alone as its only hope of salvation.

The God of Scripture is the God who justifieth (declares righteous) the guilty. Messiah Jesus took our sins upon Himself so that we may receive within ourselves the righteousness of God.

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. II Corinthians 5:21

Is it the amount of time spent on things that have no eternal value?

Is it the lack of real investment in other people’s lives?

Is it the uncertainty of your relationship with God?

Is it for the lack of a clear conscience?

Is it the emptiness of your religion?

Is your life empty?

Are you alone?

Jesus never fails.

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace………Ephesians 1:7.

The apostle Paul makes a profound statement in 1 Corinthians 2:16: “We have the mind of Christ.” In having confidence in God’s Word, we have access to the mind of Christ. We know what He thinks and wills. We know what pleases Him and what displeases Him. We know what He loves and what He hates. We know what He commands and what He forbids. We understand all that because He has enabled us to understand it. And so we live our lives embracing the wonder of His inexplicable grace to us.*

*From Why You Can Trust the Bible by John MacArthur, page 22-23, copyright 2025.

Yohance was a homeless man who found Christ at the Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago. His observations after establishing a personal relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ are as follows:

I hadn’t realized how far I was from Christ. I didn’t realize how far I was from God until now.

One thing I’ve learned is that I cannot trust my own thinking. My thoughts are not always accurate if they are not aligned with God’s principles.

I always knew about God and the Bible, but I never had a personal relationship with Him. I used to think that I could sin, ask forgiveness, and go right back to sinning again (no repentance), assuming that God would just keep forgiving me.

…let the word of Christ dwell (take up its life) in you richly…

We pray because those who are out of our reach are never out of His.

And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence. And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?

Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Matthew 13:53-56a

And he (Jesus) went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. Mark 6:1-3

Then after three years I (Paul) went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. Galatians 1:19

…let the word of Christ dwell (take up its life) in you richly…

Note: Joseph is not mentioned in these passages, so it is assumed that he had already passed from this life.

Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. Proverbs 30:5&6

For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church: Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Colossians 1:9-29

Right is right even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong even if everyone is for it.

William Penn

Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? Proverbs 20:9

It Is Well*

My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought!
my sin, not in part, but the whole,
is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more;
praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Refrain:
It is well with my soul;
It is well, it is well with my soul!

*Horatio G. Spafford, 1873 – copyright status is Public Domain. Courtesy of Timeless Truths Publications – Copyright © 2002-2020 Free Online Library.