Zane Hodges Library

In this passage, Ben-Hadad, king of Syria, and his servant, Hazael, have bad stuff going through their heads. Ben-Hadad tries to bribe God to heal him of his sickness. Hazael rejects the testimony of God as to his own sinfulness. God is not up in heaven to do what we want Him to do. We are on earth to do what His word tells us to do. Other passages: 2 Kings 6:8-7:7; Matthew 19:17. June 22, 2003.

Is the Christian life just a matter of determination and the will? How can we live the Christian life? All who have believed in Jesus for the absolutely free gift of eternal life have passed from death into life, but Christians dwell in a dead body. Even though Christians dwell in a dead body, by the resurrecting power of the Holy Spirit, those dead bodies can become the vehicles that express the very life of God and Jesus Christ. As we see the glory of Jesus and the mirror of God's word, the Spirit of God changes us, so that we are more and more like God's Son. Christians need the resurrecting power of the Holy Spirit, so that their dead bodies can be the vehicles for the life of God. Christians are faced with a choice, either to give up on the Christian life and show everybody their ugly spiritual corpses or to open themselves to the transforming power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, and let God's life flow through you, so people can see the beauty of the Son of God. Other passages: John 11:1-44; John 5:24-25, 6:47; Romans 7; 2 Corinthians 3:18. February 11, 2001.

For the one who has believed in Jesus for the free gift of eternal life, Jesus doesn't want a rash, shallow or superficial commitment. Jesus wants a serious and well-considered commitment. Jesus doesn't want a reluctant commitment, that says, "Not now or later, Lord." Jesus wants an unhesitating top-priority commitment. Jesus doesn't want a regretful commitment. Jesus wants a whole-hearted and undivided commitment.

Questions and Answers at:

30:27 About the second person who was reluctant in following Jesus, given that there are Scriptures to take care of one's family, do you see a problem with thinking that in your commitment to the Lord that you will take care of your family?

31:55 Can you distinguish between the kingdom of God and the church?

32:52 Can you be a part of the kingdom of God without being part of the church?

33:27 Can you distinguish between salvation and discipleship? Are there those who are not disciples, but are saved?

35:58 What did it mean that the disciples doubted and what are the implications of that for Christians?

Other passages mentioned: Judges 7; Matthew 10:37; Colossians 1:13; Revelation 22:17; Matthew 28:19-20; Matthew 11:2-3; John 1:32-34; Luke 24:41; Numbers 21:4-9.

Did you know that every Christian (one who has believed in Jesus for the free gift of everlasting life) is a candidate for sudden improvement in your physical body? Our bodies have limits which we cannot improve beyond. The only person who is able give us a marvelous and wonderful improvement in our physical bodies, is the Person who created them, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. God uses the model of our Lord's own resurrection body, as the model, example and pattern by which He will improve the physical body of every single Christian. The capacity of our new physical bodies will be designed in some way to serve God and glorify God in ways that we have never been able to do before. Other passages: Psalm 16:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52. (1996)

Each Christian has a long-distance friendship that is important to cultivate each and every day of one's life. If you want friendship with Jesus Christ, the Bible needs to be precious to you, and you need to allow the Holy Spirit to set your heart and soul on fire with the word of God, and to attract you and to pull you into the fellowship of God's Son and friendship with Him. Where in all the places on earth are we most likely to know the Lord Jesus Christ in an intimately way? It is the Lord's Supper. The Lord's Supper is Jesus' ordinance and His command, and where Jesus manifests Himself as the One who died, was buried and rose again.

Cleopas and his companion on their 7 mile walk to Emmaus had the most amazing and wonderful walk ever, because of their traveling Companion. Jesus was their Companion, became their Teacher and then became their Guest. Other passages Hebrews 13:5; John 14:23. September 15, 1996.

How did the women who followed Jesus from Galilee respond to the setback of Jesus' crucifixion? They continued to serve Jesus and to persevere in their dedication to Him. These women's comeback began when they realized that Jesus Christ is alive. The most fundamental and basic rule that you and I can follow regardless of the setbacks that come into our life and experience is that we should press forward in our determination to serve Jesus in whatever way we can. Jesus rising from the dead is the greatest comeback in human history, and because He is alive, our comeback is possible from any setback that life can bring us. Other passages: Luke 8:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:58. July 28, 1996.

What qualified Joseph of Arimathea for the wonderful opportunity and privilege of burying the Creator of the universe, the Lord Jesus Christ? Joseph was a man of character, Christian courage and deep and profound commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. To get opportunities to do something significant for God, you need to be a Christian of character, courage and commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. If you are, wherever there is something for you to do, God can be sure that you are there and able to do it.

Other passages: John 1:1-3,14; Luke 23:42; Matthew 27:57-60.

June 16, 1996.

If we follow in the steps of Jesus Christ, if we suffer innocently to the glory of God, if that results in an impact on the lives of men and a witness to the sufferings of the Savior, then be very sure that experience of Christian suffering is genuine, authentic and the real stuff. Other passages mentioned: John 10:18; 1 Peter 4:15-16; Luke 23:13-25; 2 Timothy 2:10; 1 Peter 2:21.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is an amazing story. It is heartwarming, inspiring and absolutely true. Will the living Lord find you in the waiting room? All the pain in God's waiting room has been borne by the Great Physician, the Lord Jesus Christ. Every Christian has entered God's waiting room and is waiting for the return of Christ to take them back to be with Himself. The only way to get into God's waiting room is faith in the One, who loved you, died for you, and rose again. The only way we can take advantage of what Jesus has done for us is to believe on Him for everlasting life. The Christian can also learn something in God's waiting room. Jesus died the way He lived His life, in confident trust of His loving heavenly Father. The cross of Jesus Christ is not only God's waiting room, where we wait confidently for the coming of His Son, but it is also our school room where we learn to trust God through all our lives. If you have trusted in Jesus Christ for everlasting life, then you can trust Jesus for everything else regardless of what it may be.

Other passages: John 14:9; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1Peter 2:24; Hebrews 9:1-9; Hebrews 10:20; 1 Peter 3:18; Philippians 3:20; John 3:16; Titus 3:5; John 5:24; Psalms 22:14-15; John 20:5-7; Revelation 1:18; Hebrews 10:23

April 7, 1996