NEWS, ARTICLES, DEVOTIONS AND MORE FROM BttB...

A Greater Witness READ John 5:36-37 36 “But I have a greater witness than John—my teachings and my miracles. The Father gave me these works to accomplish, and they prove that he sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has testified about me himself. You have never heard his voice or seen him face to face. . . . ” The religious leaders were impressed with John the Baptist at first but not with Jesus. So He explained to the unbelievers about what proved Him to be the Messi

Hillside Chat READ John 6:3-4 3 Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him. 4 (It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.) Many of the teachings of Jesus took place on a hill top. The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) and the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24-25) are two such examples. Now He teaches again from a hill. Mention of the Jewish Passover helps remind the reader that this feast would soon take place during which time the Pas

Kingmakers Evaded READ John 6:14-15 14 When the people saw him do this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, “Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!” 15 When Jesus saw that they were ready to force him to be their king, he slipped away into the hills by himself. Notice how people are so drawn to the supernatural. In the days of Jesus it confused them into doing things that He didn’t want them to do. What if an impostor had done a miracle? Would the people have

Perishable Things READ John 6:26-27 26 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. 27 But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.” Previously it was asked if you thought all in the crowd following Jesus were really believers. This pas

My Father's Will READ John 6:38-40 38 “For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. 39 And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. 40 For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.” The crowd did not understand the comments Jesus made about Hi

Tough Teaching READ John 6:55-59 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57 I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.” 59 He said thes

Festival Dilemma Day 1 READ John 7:1-5 1 After this, Jesus traveled around Galilee. He wanted to stay out of Judea, where the Jewish leaders were plotting his death. 2 But soon it was time for the Jewish Festival of Shelters, 3 and Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles! 4 You can’t become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!” 5 For even his brothers d

Work on the Sabbath READ John 7:20-24 20 The crowd replied, “You’re demon possessed! Who’s trying to kill you?” 21 Jesus replied, “I did one miracle on the Sabbath, and you were amazed. 22 But you work on the Sabbath, too, when you obey Moses’ law of circumcision. (Actually, this tradition of circumcision began with the patriarchs, long before the law of Moses.) 23 For if the correct time for circumcising your son falls on the Sabbath, you go ahead and do it so as not to

You Cannot Follow READ John 7:35-36 35 The Jewish leaders were puzzled by this statement. “Where is he planning to go?” they asked. “Is he thinking of leaving the country and going to the Jews in other lands? Maybe he will even teach the Greeks! 36 What does he mean when he says, ‘You will search for me but not find me,’ and ‘You cannot go where I am going’?” The comments of Jesus mystified even the Jewish leaders. All they could do in their confusion was to repeat th

The Woman Caught in Adultery READ John 8:1-5 1 Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. 4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says t

Blind Spot READ John 8:19-20 Jesus answered, “Since you don’t know who I am, you don’t know who my Father is. If you knew me, you would also know my Father.” 20 Jesus made these statements while he was teaching in the section of the Temple known as the Treasury. But he was not arrested, because his time had not yet come. Jesus said the religious leaders didn’t know Him because they did not know His Father. The reference to His heavenly Father mystified the unbelievers

The Truth Will Set You Free READ John 8:31-33 31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 “But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?” Notice that just because someone says they are a disciple of Jesus, this does not necessarily mean they have

No Demon in Me READ John 8:48-51 48 The people retorted, “You Samaritan devil! Didn’t we say all along that you were possessed by a demon?” 49 “No,” Jesus said, “I have no demon in me. For I honor my Father—and you dishonor me. 50 And though I have no wish to glorify myself, God is going to glorify me. He is the true judge. 51 I tell you the truth, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!” The people came close to cursing Jesus. To call Him a “devil” would have

Night Is Coming READ John 9:4-5 4 “We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. 5 But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.” While He was in the world, Jesus was the light of it. This truth is also recorded in John 8:12 where it is recorded that He said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that l

Difference of Opinion READ John 9:16-17 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man Jesus is not from God, for he is working on the Sabbath.” Others said, “But how could an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs?” So there was a deep division of opinion among them. 17 Then the Pharisees again questioned the man who had been blind and demanded, “What’s your opinion about this man who healed you?” The man replied, “I think he must be a prophet.” The Pharisees had a

Could a Sinner Do This READ John 9:30-33 30 “Why, that’s very strange!” the man replied. “He healed my eyes, and yet you don’t know where he comes from? 31 We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. 32 Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it.” The Jewish leaders said they didn’t know where Jesus cam

The Shepherd's Voice READ John 10:4-5 4 “After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. 5 They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.” Jesus continued to tell a story that pictured what the Pharisees were doing in contrast to what He as the legitimate shepherd was doing. The reason the man born blind would not follow them is that he wouldn’t follow a stranger, bu

Voluntary Sacrifice READ John 10:17-18 17 “The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. 18 No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.” No other person could say what Jesus is saying in this passage. He’s laying down His life so that He may take it again. Think of how arrogant it must have sound

Claim to Be God READ John 10:31-33 31 Once again the people picked up stones to kill him. 32 Jesus said, “At my Father’s direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone me?” 33 They replied, “We’re stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy! You, a mere man, claim to be God.” There are some today who say that Jesus never claimed to be God. Those living face-to-face with Him, however, understood clearly He claimed to be God. Would y

Day and Night Day 1 READ John 11:8-11 8 But his disciples objected. “Rabbi,” they said, “only a few days ago the people in Judea were trying to stone you. Are you going there again?” 9 Jesus replied, “There are twelve hours of daylight every day. During the day people can walk safely. They can see because they have the light of this world. 10 But at night there is danger of stumbling because they have no light.” 11 Then he said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep,

Mary and Martha READ John 11:27-29 27 “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.” 28 Then she returned to Mary. She called Mary aside from the mourners and told her, “The Teacher is here and wants to see you.” 29 So Mary immediately went to him. Jesus asked Martha if she believed what He said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dyi

Thank You for Hearing Me READ John 11:40-42 40 Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” 41 So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. 42 You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.” This passage reveals that Jesus was doing something for the sake of those watching. No doubt they

Die for the Nation READ John 11:51-52 51 He did not say this on his own; as high priest at that time he was led to prophesy that Jesus would die for the entire nation. 52 And not only for that nation, but to bring together and unite all the children of God scattered around the world. This passage refers to what Caiaphas said as recorded in verse 50, “You don’t realize that it’s better for you that one man should die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroy

Judas the Thief READ John 12:6-8 6 Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself. 7 Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” Judas thought the expensive ointment with which Mary anointed the feet of Jesus should have been sold and given to the poor. The above passage written b