Is Jesus the good shepherd?
It should be understood that Jesus is “the” good shepherd, not simply “a” good shepherd, as others may be, but …
Author Archives: Μιχαήλ (Michael) Wilson
“It’s better to be wise than strong; intelligence outranks muscle any day.” ~King Solomon
There is a better way. What? Yes, God shows us. It is a God thing. It is called wisdom. It …
Joy – Does God himself give joy to us?
The joy I have, in Jesus my Master, is a gift from God. I don’t screw my courage and become …
“You are the light of the world.” ~Jesus
Jesus makes a declaration about His followers in the Jesus Manifesto (Matthew 5 – 7). We are the light of …
Jesus won’t let us down. No way. He will change us. He will clean us up. He will be true to His word. Now that is some good news.
I can’t claim I haven’t missed God’s goal for my life. None of us can. We are sinners. That is …
“Have an attitude of humility being neither arrogant nor self-righteous regard others as more important than yourselves.” ~Apostle Paul
God calls on me to respect others, placing them as more important than I am. Jesus is very clear about …
Glory – Is the glory of Jesus God’s glory?
The glory of God is the beauty of His spirit. It is not an aesthetic beauty or a material beauty, …
“First let me ask you a question. Answer my question and then I’ll present my credentials.” ~Jesus
The religious elites and leaders have it in for Jesus. They are going to try and trap Jesus. Do I …
Joy — What is the biblical background to the use of the word?
Background on Joy Joy (שִׂמְחָה, simchah; χαρά, chara). Closely related to gladness and happiness, although joy is more a state …
“Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.” ~Apostle Matthew
God is the author of healing. Now that is some stunning news. That is the good news of the Kingdom …
Prophet – Did people anticipate the coming of a prophet? Is Jesus that Prophet?
The Messiah is anticipated by the Jewish people as the Prophet of God. Jesus is that Prophet. Jesus the Messiah …
“You are already pruned back by the message I have spoken.” ~Jesus
Jesus is the true source of everything I am or have. Jesus is the real vine. My role is to …
Exaltation – Will God exalt those who are humble?
It is possible to submit outwardly and yet not be humbled inwardly. God hates the sin of pride, and He …
“How exquisite your love, O God!” ~King David
God is love! Jesus came to die for me to show the amazing scope of God’s love. God’s love is …
Joy – Is it because of the believers’ partnership in the good news?
Am I offering prayers filled with joy? Am I a partner in the joy of the good news? Am I …
“All will honor the Son even as they honor the Father.” ~Jesus
Jesus is in control. Not just of a little but Jesus is in control of everything. God has made Jesus …
Courage – Can we have it in the face of wrongdoing?
God gives strength to his people. He enables them to be courageous through his gift of faith. God proves himself …
I kind of grew up in the church …
I kind of grew up in the church, so to speak. It was a VERY Baptist church. Southern Baptist in …
Ecstasy – Is it in response to the Holy Spirit?
We seem a little reluctant to talk about the ecstatic experience. Is that for mystics and weirdo’s I think? Maybe …
“Do you have any idea how difficult it is for the rich to enter God’s kingdom?” ~Jesus
Jesus, as always, asks a very penetrating question. The “rich young ruler” had just turned and left. He was very …
Lamb of God – Is Jesus innocent and sacrifices himself for us?
I have missed God’s goal for my life (aka sin). A penalty must be paid. Jesus, the innocent lamb of …
“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” ~Apostle Paul
God’s holiness is what separates Him from all other beings, what makes Him separate and distinct from everything else. God’s …
Joy – What is it a hallmark of?
What a treasure we have in the joy that Jesus brings into our lives. God has a country. Jesus is …
“Silence!” ~Jesus
One word. Jesus rebukes the storm. Jesus is in the power of the Holy Spirit, as the Son of God. …
Baptism – Does sprinkling with water symbolize spiritual cleansing?
I must prepare myself spiritually to fellowship with God. The Old Testament priest had to go through various washings and …
“If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would obey you.” ~Jesus
Faith is not something I conjure up on my own, nor is it something I am born with. Faith is …
Blame – Are God’s people to aim to live free from blame?
I need to focus more on being blameless. The Apostle Paul shows the being blameless is a result of my …
“Don’t stealthily move back the boundary lines or cheat orphans out of their property, for they have a powerful Advocate who will go to bat for them.” ~King Solomon
God cares for the poor, the widow, the orphan, the homeless, the sick, those in jail; all of the displaced …
Repentance – Is it is the only way to escape God’s judgment?
Repentance (radically changing my mind) is of central importance because missing God’s goal (sin) brings God’s judgment. Fellowship with God …
“If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” ~Jesus
Is Jesus my Master? Am I His slave? Does Jesus own me? Jesus is the King, anointed by the Holy …
Joy – Do God’s people find their joy in Jesus?
Jesus wants me to glad, joyful and happy. Jesus paid the price for my missing God’s goal (aka sin). I …
“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow (accompany) me” ~Jesus
Jesus demanded disciples become slaves of the Master (aka Owner). This isn’t optional even though it sounds repugnant. I am a …
Hell – Why do believers have to maintain their loyalty to God? What is the fear that cancels fear?
I need to take God and His Son Jesus very seriously. There will be a day of judgement. There is …
“Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” ~Jesus
Jesus is now at the core issue as He lays out His manifesto (Matthew 5 – 7). God has a …
Patience of Jesus – Do His disciples have it in relation to people?
God is patient with sinners. Jesus perfectly models that for me. Jesus is my example. Jesus shows me the way. …
“In all things God may be glorified through Jesus the Messiah, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever.” ~Apostle Peter
God’s glory is to be my highest motive. God wants me to know that He sees what no one else …
Joy – Why does the Holy Spirit’s fruit include joy?
We love to eat fruit. We love the fruit and the juice. It gives us nourishment and refreshes us. May …
“Go sell whatever you own and give it to the poor. All your wealth will then be heavenly wealth. And come follow me.” ~Jesus
Jesus looks me hard in the eye. Jesus is clear. Jesus isn’t going to pull any punches with me. …
Anger – Does Jesus reflect the anger of God?
Does Jesus get angry and upset? Jesus the Messiah shows controlled emotion arising from his unswerving opposition to evil and …
“For to me, to live is the Messiah as He is my source of joy, my reason to live and to die is gain for I will be with Him in eternity.” ~Apostle Paul
My hope is in Jesus. That is the main thing about the main thing. Is your hope in Jesus? If not, …
Surprise – Should disciples of Jesus be surprised with suffering?
The surprises along the way are God’s surprises. He is never caught off guard or unprepared. He calls me to …
“Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?” ~Jesus
Jesus has a question for Philip. Jesus called Philip to be a disciple as he (Jesus) was leaving Bethany after being baptized by John. …
Gentleness – What is the example of Jesus?
I have a lot to learn from Jesus. Jesus is gentle and shows compassion. Jesus has compassion for those in …
“Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?” ~Religious elites to Jesus disciples
Jesus gets in trouble a lot. The religious elites don’t like who He hangs out with. They let Jesus know. …
Joy – What role does it play for the believers’ faith and obedience?
There is great joy when our brothers and sisters walk in the truth of the Master Jesus. I want to …
“God is great — everything works together for good for his servant.” ~King David
I have something to shout about. I have family and friends that want the best for me. They really do. …
Family — Is it the foundation of relationships in God’s Kingdom?
Family is extremely important in the Bible, both in a physical sense and in a spiritual sense. The foundation of …
“Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” ~John the Baptizer
Jesus the anointed King and Messiah’s ministry of forgiveness was foretold. God has a plan. God executes it in His …
Purity – Are God’s people to live pure lives?
Jesus challenges me. “Happy are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Clearly, I am to be pure. …
God sees right through all such smoke screens and holds me to what I’ve done.
The wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness. There are atheists, God-deniers and God-haters who suppress the truth. …
Joy — How can I experience joy in my discipleship life?
Joy is something we all long for but that often seems difficult to grab hold of. Experiencing joy should be …
“Put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” ~Apostle Paul
Jesus shows me how to love and be kind. Jesus commands me to love. God wants me to be kind, …
Obedience – Did it mean the ultimate personal cost for Jesus?
Jesus was not wrestling with God’s will or resisting God’s will. Jesus is obedient. He was yielding Himself to God’s …
“I’m telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you’re not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in.” ~Jesus
I am concerned and worry about lots of things. One of them is how am I doing compared to others. …
Sin – How does God remove it from us? How is the penalty paid for?
Jesus paid the price for my having missed God’s goal (aka sin) for my life. A penalty had to be …
“Bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Master forgave you, so also should you.” ~Apostle Paul
True love is forgiving: God loves me so He forgives me for missing His goal (aka sin) for my life. …
Merciful – What should disciples do? Can I pass the mercy test?
Can I pass the test? Let’s call it the mercy test. Jesus orders me to be merciful. Am I? Jesus …
“So thick-headed! So slow-hearted! Why can’t you simply believe all that the prophets said?” ~Jesus
Jesus is resurrected to an incorruptible body after having been crucified. It is three days after His death. He is …
Heart – Do I have a love for God’s word?
The believer has an old nature that wants to keep him in bondage; “I will get free from these old …
“And if anyone misses God’s goal, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus the Messiah the righteous.” ~Apostle John
Special praise goes to Jesus for vindicating the penitent and the needy who have no human champions. Ultimately, all God’s …
Faithfulness – Do I reflect God’s faithfulness?
Faithfulness is the proper response to God by his covenant people; seen in a steadfast commitment which reflects God’s own …
“A sterling reputation is better than striking it rich; a gracious spirit is better than money in the bank.” ~King Solomon
Jesus warns us constantly and consistently about the dangers not focusing on God and focusing on wealth. It is a …
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” ~Apostle John
Jesus is my Master. Jesus is the Word of God. Jesus has always been with God. Jesus is the Son …
“And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their religious elitist leaders.” ~Apostle Matthew
Jesus wrapped up His Manifesto (Matthew 5 – 7). The teaching is over. What He has said is amazing. The …
Joy – Is it promised to me from Jesus the Messiah?
We have a great promise from Jesus the Messiah. It is joy and happiness. Jesus wants me to have joy. …
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of the Messiah.” ~Apostle Paul
I really don’t have an excuse for not having more faith. I have heard Jesus clearly. That is the first …
Fools – What do we know about them from Proverbs?
I want wisdom. It is important to my daily walk with Jesus. Sometimes it helps, in understanding something, is to …
“No one can use my name to do something good and powerful, and in the next breath cut me down. If he’s not an enemy, he’s an ally.” ~Jesus
We love to form groups. Even early on, the disciples had figured out who was in and who was out. …
Preeminence of Jesus – Does He have it over his enemies?
Jesus is first in my life. Jesus is preeminent. Jesus comes before anything else. Let it be so! The word preeminence is …
I said, ‘I am the Son of God’ ~Jesus
I believe that Jesus, God’s anointed King (aka Messiah) is God’s Holy Son. Jesus is God’s Son in that He …
King Jesus — How long will Jesus be King?
Kings came and went. Kings died. Someone else became King. It could have been a son. It could have been …
“You don’t understand now what I’m doing, but it will be clear enough to you later.” ~Jesus
There are days I just don’t understand what Jesus is doing or saying. I like to think I do. I …
Self-Control — What is it?
I need more self control in my life! Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. It is physical and emotional self-mastery, …
“For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me.” ~Jesus
I know what I know about Jesus because Jesus is His own spokesperson. Prophets are spokesmen for God. When the …
Love – Is the God of the Old Testament a grumpy old man?
Somehow, we have this image of God, from the Old Testament, as an angry old man. Grumpy to the core. …
“I live and breathe God; if things aren’t going well, hear this and be happy: join me in spreading the news; together let’s get the word out.” ~King David
King David knows what it is like to be in some tough places. He spent much of his life in …
Judging – How should we deal with sinning disciples of Jesus?
There was a pastor who became involved immorally with a married woman in his congregation. They each divorced their respective …
“The Messiah also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth.” ~Apostle Peter
Peter challenges me to follow the example of Jesus. Peter knows. Peter learned directly from our Master Jesus. Jesus has …
Joy — What is it? Why is it important?
It is easy to forget about joy. It is essential in the Kingdom of God. The Beatitudes (aka The Jesus …
There are ungodly and unrighteous people. What to do?
There are ungodly and unrighteous people. They are evil. They have rejected God and His Son Jesus, the anointed King …
Sanctification — Is a lack of faith an obstacle?
Sanctify I avoid some things because they sound very geeky and smack of theology. Jesus talks about sanctification. Maybe I …
“And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of the beauty of God (glory).” ~Apostle Peter
Peter knows about Jesus and goes over the top in love for him. Jesus stood by him after Peter abandoned …
Old Age — Should we respect the old?
Old age is generally held in honor and the aged in society are to be respected. Because of the wisdom …
“You’re not yet taking God seriously!” ~Jesus
How am I doing with my faith and belief in God and Jesus? Am I taking God seriously? Confidence in …
Children of God — How does it happen? What role does the Spirit of God play?
I am so glad that God has adopted me. Jesus has broken the bondage of slavery and given my His …
“He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true.” ~Jesus
Consider this: Truth is not what makes people feel good. Jesus knows this. Jesus knows truth because He knows the Father …
Humility — Does God command it?
Does God command me to be humble? Yes, Absolutely. There is no doubt about it. The Bible describes humility …
“Behold, the Lamb of God!” ~John the Baptizer
This is hard to understand since there is no sacrificial system in religious life today. The jewish, christian and islamic …
Jesus is not my own genie who jumps out of His little bottle when I rub it and ask Him for what I want.
We have lost this incredibly important concept of Jesus as Master and I am His slave. We have a man-centered …
Kindness — Is failure to acknowledge God’s kindness missing God’s goal (aka sin)?
When I exhibit the kindness of God, I am tender, benevolent, and useful to others. Every action, every word …
“He’s a dangerous man, endangering the peace.” ~Religious elites about Jesus
Jesus is being tried. He has been arrested. When it was morning, the religious elites and the high priests and …
“Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the religious elites, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” ~Jesus
Jesus continues His manifesto. I have a lot to learn here. Jesus is being clear, as He always is. This …
“These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” ~Jesus
In some circles, the end game is to be saved. Now that is important but it is not the end …
Worry — What causes it? Am I too world-centered?
Jesus teaches His disciples that we are not to worry. Jesus encourages me to avoid worrying about my physical needs …
“This cup which is poured out for you is the new agreement in My blood.” ~Jesus
In the scriptures, a covenant (agreement) is between God and His people or certain specific individuals, like myself. The fulfilment …
God’s Goal — What is the focus of Jesus?
Jesus has a real focus. Jesus is going to do what God wants Him to. I need to get the …
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?” ~Jesus
The Jesus Manifesto continues with Jesus laying out for me what I need to be like in this world. I …
Joy — Does the appearance of Jesus on the scene bring us joy?
The disciples of Jesus are to rejoice in the salvation brought about by the Messiah’s faithful life and death, and …
“Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.” ~Jesus
Paul tells the church that the spiritual blindness of Israel is a “mystery” that had not previously been revealed (Romans …
Self Examination — Does lack of it lead to pride and self-delusion?
There was a problem among the early group of disciples in Corinth. It still continues among believers today. I need …
