Be encouraged by John's passion in this beginning of his first letter. Written to believers, he starts out by declaring his close relationship to Christ and begins to share important things that are vital to our having full joy.

Learn the importance of being a disciple, empowered by the Holy Spirit, willing to continue Christ's ministry by doing outreaches and living as team-players, as well doing our part in sending others out, along with important resources, in answer to the prayer request of Jesus for more laborers in His harvest fields.

May the Lord use these nuggets of truth - relating to His resurrection - to strengthen your faith in Him.

While Jesus has "finished" His redemptive work for us on His cross, now He is continuing His works by bringing others into the full benefits of that redemption, through His redeemed people, according to His statement, "...as the Father has sent Me, so send I you..."

While suffering for our salvation, Jesus was given distasteful vinegar on a nasty sponge at the end of a stick, after which He said, "It is finished" and died. Having experienced humanity's wickedness and sin's cruelty at its worst, up to the very end of His innocent life, our redemption was purchased and our ransom fully paid.

Be encouraged by the truths of the Gospel concerning how Jesus Christ was the perfect offering for our salvation from the power of and penalty for our sins.

Be inspired by the example of Jesus Christ, Who although He had divine rights and royalty, He gave them all up for the sake of the God's Kingdom.

Encouraging words for us are gleaned from the story of Christ's betrayal, as to how we were benefited by it through His resurrection and for how we should respond when we taste such pain from the hand of a friend.

Having already commissioned Titus to set the congregations on Crete in order, Paul writes him about raising up elders at each assembly to oversee the ministries there and to teach important truths as well as to bring corrections when needed.

Given an opportunity to speak at our Regional Juvenile Justice Center, Pastor Alan communicated some important truths about peacemaking, illustrated by a valuable lesson he learned from his childhood in West Africa.