by Steve McCranie | Jan 27, 2016
During His last week with His disciples, Jesus said the following regarding a fig tree that He cursed:
“Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing (or, to have faith in, to think it’s true, to place confidence in, to entrust), you will receive” – Matthew 21:21-22.
Do you believe what Jesus said? Do you take His words at face value or have you reduced them to some type of parable or story not to be believed literally? And what does Jesus mean by “believing”? How does faith impact our prayers?
Keep listening, for the answer to these and other questions may astound you.
The following is a study on Persistent, Overcoming Prayer.
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by Steve McCranie | Nov 1, 2015
In our Christian life we find the Lord gives us two calls or two personal invitations. The first invitation is found in Matthew 11:28-30 where He says, “Come to Me.” This is the call to salvation, to the binding of ourselves to Christ and to become one with Him.
The second call comes after salvation and it is the invitation to a life of unbroken intimacy with Christ. That call is found in John 15:4 where He says, “Abide in Me.”
“Come to Me.”
“Abide in Me.”
There’s so much to learn from these two simple invitations that will literally change the life of a believer. Which begs the question: Do you want your life changed to be more like Him? If so, then by all means, please keep listening.
The following is a study on John 15:4 and Matthew 13:28-30.
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by Steve McCranie | Jul 31, 2015
When Philip uttered the words, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us” (John 14:8), he probably didn’t fully understand the implications of what he was asking. Actually, his words went more like this:
“Lord, show (or, put on a demonstration, to point out, to present in sight) us the Father, and it is sufficient (or, it will satisfy, we will be content) for us” (John 14:8).
This was not Moses begging God to reveal His glory (Exodus 38:18). No, this was the disciples wanting more than Jesus. They wanted to trust a visible manifestation of something more than simple faith in Christ.
Have you ever done the same? Have you longed for the Lord’s power or blessing or answered prayer or a miracle more than the Lord Himself?
If so, keep listening.
The following is a study on John 14:7-9.
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by Steve McCranie | Jul 30, 2015
When Jesus tried to comfort His disciples He went about it in a way that seems foreign to us. We comfort by trying to take the pain away, by saying some soothing words that aren’t always true.
We say, “Hey, don’t worry about it, don’t cry, everything’s going to be alright”— even when we know it won’t.
But Jesus comforted His disciples by pointing to the big picture, the grand scheme, to life beyond the here and now. He had them look beyond their current pain and predicament to the reality of eternity. And in that light, how bad can a few passing problems in this life really be?
He said, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:1-3).
Jesus is preparing a place for me, and He’s coming back for me, so I can be where He is. Changes everything, doesn’t it?
The following is a study on John 14:1-6.
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by Steve McCranie | Jul 1, 2015
After Judas left the others in the Upper Room to go finalize his act of grand betrayal, Jesus affectionately spoke to those who remained, calling them His “little children” (John 13:33). He then gave them a new command.
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love (agape) one another; as I have loved (agape) you, that you also love (agape) one another. By this (your love for one another) all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love (agape) for one another” (John 13:34-35).
Question: How is that even possible? How are we to love each other the way Christ loves us? What does that look like in real life? And why is our love for each other the defining mark of being a disciple of Christ?
Do you want to find out if it is even possible to love like Jesus? If so, keep listening.
The following is a study on John 13:31-38.
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