Live the Word Bible Studies

John Study 20: 12:20-50

Dear Student of the Word,

I gave you a week off last week, but it's time to get back into John's gospel.  We move into the meat of John 12 this week, where Jesus went into hiding so that He would not be seized before His time.  Jesus has more harsh words for the leaders as we look at His last days in Jerusalem before His crucifixion.  This week I wrote on day six of this seven-day study:

12:42 – Yet in spite of all the controversy and the opinions and interpretations of what the Messiah was going to be, many believed in Him.  Jesus is so magnificent that if you behold Him for long, you will worship Him.  That is because, as He repeatedly explained in John’s gospel, He came to save and not condemn.  Even before He was “lifted up,” He was drawing men unto Himself. 

Yet those who believed were so bound with fear of the leaders that they could not openly profess.  This shows the power of culture to mold and shape decisions, even when one knows the decisions are wrong!  I think of two passages in this regard:

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe (Proverbs 29:25).

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2).

Has culture shaped your ability to make biblical decisions? Are you a secret admirer of Jesus instead of a disciple and follower?  Don’t answer too quickly.

v. 43 – John was not excusing the lack of courage by those who secretly believed in Jesus.  He summarized their problem:  they craved the praise from men more than from God.  I have been guilty of the same thing, so I can identify with their cowardice.  There was a time when I was more concerned with what those around me thought than what God thought.  I was so concerned that someone would think I had ambition that I hid or buried what I thought God wanted me to do.  That’s pretty sad, isn’t it?  I think I have made progress, but I still have a ways to go.  How about you?

v. 44 – I am not sure the sequence of this chapter, for John reported that Jesus went into hiding and then that Jesus said something.  It isn’t really important, for John positioned what Jesus said to reinforce the importance of faith in Jesus.  Faith in Him is linked to faith in God the Father. So once again we see that Jesus isn’t only one way to God, He is the only way to God.  That is not a popular declaration in this many-roads-to-God generation. 

v. 45 – Jesus went further to say that anyone who looks at Jesus also sees the Father.  That is a bold statement if it isn’t true, which of course it is.  If you want to know what the Father is like, just study Jesus!  That makes it pretty simple to see and know about God, doesn’t it?

v. 46 – Once again, Jesus referred to Himself as light.  Light comes to dispel darkness, so Jesus came with a specific mission of doing away with darkness.  It requires faith, however, for this light to be activated.  It is inconceivable that anyone can follow Jesus and be in darkness.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path (Psalm 119:105).

The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day (Proverbs 4:18).

As always, I welcome your comments to this week's study. You can write them or find the studies to Corinthians, Colossians, First Timothy, and Matthew's and Mark's gospels on the site where this week's entry is posted. You can also go there to sign up to receive each week's study.

Plus my website archives contains a complete collection of all my verse-by-verse Bible studies from Matthew, Mark, Luke, Acts, Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Hebrews, James, 1&2 Peter, Hebrews and Revelation, along with the unpublished volumes of The Faith Files.

Download John Study 20

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1. THE SOPHIA FUND UPDATE:  A little under $1,000 came in last week for The Sophia Fund, which makes for another great week for The Fund.  I haven't had time to add it all up, but that puts us close to $8,000 raised for The Fund to date. As you know by now, I am using the money to feed AIDS orphans and widows in Kenya and Zimbabwe. I posted a report from Kenya on the last payment I sent there that you can read on my blog. You can also read about my rationale for The Fund here (named after my late mother).

Please consider a contribution of at least $5 toward the fund and hopefully more. You can use the "Chipin" widget on the Monday Memo site to contribute, or go directly to my website to contribute there through PayPal, or send a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 91099, Pittsburgh, PA 15221. Make sure you let me know it is for The Sophia Fund. Don't delay; give today and make a difference in the world.

If you give a gift of $35 or more up until August 3, I will send you a copy of my latest book, Changing the Way We Do Church: 7 Steps to Purposeful Reformation, which is pictured to the left. 

John Study 19: 11:45-12:19

Dear Student of the Word,

Before the weekend arrives, I wanted to get this latest study from John's gospel into your hands (or computer).  This week's study spoke into my life every day and I continually marvel at the power of God's word to touch my life at every level, every time I read or study it.  This week, we see Jesus making His triumphal entry into Jerusalem prior to His last Passover on earth before He was crucified.  The leaders were keeping a "Jesus watch" to arrest and kill Him and Jesus was holding His last teaching sessions with His disciples. This week I wrote:

v. 12 – Word spread quickly that Jesus was in Bethany and on His way to Jerusalem.  The people were excited that they would see the man who had performed such a remarkable miracle with Lazarus.  Many had come to the conclusion that He was the One from God.  What good news have you heard lately? What good news have you passed on so that others could enjoy and participate in it?  Since we have the best “good news” there is in the gospel, when is the last time you shared that good news with someone?

v. 13 – The people went out to meet Jesus, armed with palm branches, which would be the equivalent of our confetti.  They wanted it to be a festive procession.  The people shouted “Hosanna,” which means “God saves” or “Salvation”!  The people once again demonstrated spiritual maturity and insight by speaking the truth about Jesus, as opposed to their leaders who were set on a course of destruction.  In trying to save their nation, the leaders were about to ruin it.  The people, however, proclaimed that Jesus was the King of Israel.  The people did not understand the nature of their King, but they did speak the truth.

The people were worshiping and praising God with joyful declarations.  When is the last time that you did the same?  Do you see and say the truth that the people declared here?  Is your worship private or are your expressions of joy and gladness more effusive and enthusiastic?

v. 14 – John does not retell the story of how Jesus “found” this donkey, for it is told in the other gospel accounts.  Remember, each writer had his own purpose and focus for his gospel.  Do you have a focus and purpose for what you do?  How can you improve in that regard?  If you need to review the story of how Jesus got this donkey, please go to Matthew 21.

v. 15 – John did take time to relate the donkey ride to the Old Testament verse in Zechariah 9:9:

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey (Zechariah 9:9).

The King did not ride a white stallion into the city, but rather came in on a donkey’s colt.  Contrast this with some of God’s servants today who only want to ride in a Mercedes Benz!  Jesus did not make a show and did not expect the best.  He humbled Himself and set an example for all of us to follow.  Even though Scripture predicted this event happening as it did, it does not mean that Jesus had no choice in the matter. He willingly chose to enter Jerusalem like this, which meant He humbled Himself.  Where have you humbled yourself lately?  Where have you denied yourself the honor that could have been yours?  When have you chosen to minimize the glory that could have rightfully come your way? 

Someone once said you should humble yourself or be humiliated.  You may want to look for opportunities today through which you can truly humble yourself.

As always, I welcome your comments to this week's study. You can write them or find the studies to Corinthians, Colossians, First Timothy, and Matthew's and Mark's gospels on the site where this week's entry is posted. You can also go there to sign up to receive each week's study.

Plus my website archives contains a complete collection of all my verse-by-verse Bible studies from Matthew, Mark, Luke, Acts, Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Hebrews, James, 1&2 Peter, Hebrews and Revelation, along with the unpublished volumes of The Faith Files.

Download John Study 19

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1. THE SOPHIA FUND UPDATE:   $152 came in last week for The Sophia Fund, which is a great week of income for which I am grateful.  As you know by now, I am using the money to feed AIDS orphans and widows in Kenya and Zimbabwe.

I wrote an update and a thank you for those who have given to the Fund four weeks ago and you can read it here. You can also read about my rationale for The Fund here (named after my late mother).

Please consider a contribution of at least $5 toward the fund and hopefully more. You can use the "Chipin" widget on the Monday Memo site to contribute, or go directly to my website to contribute there through PayPal, or send a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 91099, Pittsburgh, PA 15221. Make sure you let me know it is for The Sophia Fund. Don't delay; give today and make a difference in the world. If you give a gift of $35 or more up until July 31, I will send you a free copy of my latest book, Changing the Way We Do Church: 7 Steps to Purposeful Reformation, which is pictured to the left. 

2. REVELATION: I still need your help, although I had two good leads for publishing two weeks ago but no money. Every week I am ready to remove this plea and every week I feel the Lord tell me to keep it in.  I have finished a devotional focusing on the book of Revelation and I feel an urgent need to self-publish this work, which will cost about $2,500. I wrote about this project in my blog a few months ago and encourage you to read what I wrote there. You can also read some sample excerpts of the book here.

In that post, I explain my urgency in wanting to get it out for people to read. Once you read my rationale, please consider if the Lord wants you to help me to restore an important book of the Bible that has been distorted by so many weird interpretations. I know there is someone out there who is going to help me with this project.  Maybe it is you.

John Study 18: 11:14-44

Dear Student of the Word,

It's that time again as we continue our march through John's gospel.  My rate of study has slowed recently due to school and work commitments, so I hope you are using the time wisely to study God's word more thoroughly and at a more leisurely pace.  This week we read how Jesus returned to Judea to visit the tomb of His friend Lazarus, whom He promptly raised from the dead!  On day five of this seven-day study I wrote:

v. 33 – Jesus was a man like us in every way but sin.  Jesus became upset when He saw the scene of His friends and their friends mourning and weeping. I am so grateful that we have a God who is touched by the feeling of our infirmities and humanity.  I am constantly reminded of the truths stated in Hebrews and use those reminders as an incentive to go to the Lord with my problems, just as I am:

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted (Hebrews 2:14-18).

I think too many don’t go to the Lord as they are but as they think He wants them to be.  You don’t have to do that.  You can go just as you are.

v. 34 – Jesus had to ask where Lazarus was entombed.  This shows that Jesus did not operate in omniscience when He was a man, yet He was still God.  I write this because I am reading a modern German theologian who is writing endless and incomprehensible material about who Jesus is and how His two natures meshed together.  I may be wrong, but it’s not that difficult!  Jesus was a man and operated in the fullness of the Spirit, providing us a model to follow.  Jesus definitely limited Himself while on earth without diminishing Himself in any way.

Then this raises all kinds of intellectual questions such as:  Does that mean that the second person of the Trinity was absent from the Trinity while on earth?  The early church councils tried to address these questions, without being consumed by them.  My position is that we must be careful not to try and answer questions that have no answer.  There is an element of the unknowable, for we as finite beings cannot fathom the infinite God.  I see here that Jesus did not know where Lazarus was buried. That does not trouble me in the least.

v. 35 – Here is the shortest verse in the Bible, but it is a poignant one.  Jesus cried because He was so moved in His spirit.  The scene was just too much for Him emotionally. Does this scene impress you as it does me?  Jesus wept over the condition of His friends.  Thank you, Jesus.  I don’t know or understand all there is to know about Jesus.  I am sure finer minds can grasp deeper truths.  Yet I know that He is real, that He loves me, that He is my elder brother and my Lord.  It is enough for me to worship Him as He is, coming to Him just as I am.  Thank You, Lord!

vs. 36&37 – Jesus was criticized for His absence, some correctly reasoning that if He had been present, He could have healed Lazarus.  It is tough being a public figure, even in the Church.  People question and second-guess your decisions and priorities.  They murmur and criticize.  It is part of being a leader.  One must develop “tough skin” if you are going to lead.  If they criticized Jesus, they will certainly criticize you and me. 

The best I can do with that is not be part of the criticism toward others, something I have sometimes been all too ready to engage.  When I am criticized, I try to remember this passage:

Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you - for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others (Ecclesiastes 7:21-22). 

As always, I welcome your comments to this week's study. You can write them or find the studies to Corinthians, Colossians, First Timothy, and Matthew's and Mark's gospels on the site where this week's entry is posted. You can also go there to sign up to receive each week's study.

Plus my website archives contains a complete collection of all my verse-by-verse Bible studies from Matthew, Mark, Luke, Acts, Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Hebrews, James, 1&2 Peter, Hebrews and Revelation, along with the unpublished volumes of The Faith Files.

Download John Study 18

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1. THE SOPHIA FUND UPDATE:  $267 came in last week for The Sophia Fund, which is a great week of income for which I am grateful.  As you know by now, I am using the money to feed AIDS orphans and widows in Kenya and Zimbabwe.

I wrote an update and a thank you for those who have given to the Fund four weeks ago and you can read it here. You can also read about my rationale for The Fund here (named after my late mother).

Please consider a contribution of at least $5 toward the fund and hopefully more. You can use the "Chipin" widget on the Monday Memo site to contribute, or go directly to my website to contribute there through PayPal, or send a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 91099, Pittsburgh, PA 15221. Make sure you let me know it is for The Sophia Fund. Don't delay; give today and make a difference in the world. If you give a gift of $35 or more up until July 31, I will send you a free copy of my latest book, Changing the Way We Do Church: 7 Steps to Purposeful Reformation, which is pictured to the left. 

2. REVELATION: I still need your help, although I had two good leads for publishing two weeks ago but no money. Every week I am ready to remove this plea and every week I feel the Lord tell me to keep it in.  I have finished a devotional focusing on the book of Revelation and I feel an urgent need to self-publish this work, which will cost about $2,500. I wrote about this project in my blog a few months ago and encourage you to read what I wrote there. You can also read some sample excerpts of the book here.

In that post, I explain my urgency in wanting to get it out for people to read. Once you read my rationale, please consider if the Lord wants you to help me to restore an important book of the Bible that has been distorted by so many weird interpretations. I know there is someone out there who is going to help me with this project.  Maybe it is you.

John Study 17: 10:25-11:13

Dear Student of the Word,

It's time to study God's word again, particularly John's gospel.  This week we take a look at Jesus' ability to minister while His life was in danger.  He eventually leaves Jerusalem only to return when He gets the report that his friend Lazarus was ill. The more we study this gospel, the more I admire Jesus' courage. He is a remarkable man, and a glorious God!  This week I wrote the following on day four of this seven-day devotional study:

v. 39 – Jesus was in constant danger, yet at the same time He was in no danger.  While the Jews wanted desperately to seize Him, they could not do anything that was not in perfect accord with God’s will and timing. The same is true for you and me.  We can and should take great confidence in this:

My times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me (Psalm 31:5).

'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring (Acts 17:31).

Are you afraid for your life?  Afraid to do some things because they may be dangerous?  I am not talking being reckless.  I am talking about doing things that are a part of life, like traveling, trying new things, or learning a new language.

v. 40 – Jesus had had enough of that visit to Jerusalem, which had lasted several months, and took a break across the Jordan River to what is known today as the country of Jordan.  Perhaps Jesus needed a break to restore His ministry confidence and went to a place where His ministry was welcomed. He could heal and teach, with no concerns about the legalistic Jews watching His every move.

Does that thought make Jesus too “human” in your eyes, thinking that He may have needed encouragement?  It fits the picture of Him described in Hebrews:

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering (Hebrews 2:9-10).

v. 41 – Jesus had ministry success in this retreat spot, for many people came, remembering what John the Baptist had said about him. Even though John had never done any public miracle to verify his words, the people bore witness to the truth of what he had said.  It is ironic that these people judged properly but the Jewish leaders could not do so.

v. 42 – The issue always comes down to faith or no-faith in Christ.  That was the issue then and it is the issue today.  People who say they have no faith are not aware of how much faith they have every day!  They believe the other drivers will stay on their side of the road when they drive. They have faith a can of peas they open will not be poisoned. They have faith their cars will start when they turn the key, that the bridge will remain intact when they walk over it, and that they will be back to work the next day.  Contrary to what some people say, they live in faith.  So to having faith in God is really a natural outflow of their already faith-saturated lives. Does that make sense?

As always, I welcome your comments to this week's study. You can write them or find the studies to Corinthians, Colossians, First Timothy, and Matthew's and Mark's gospels on the site where this week's entry is posted. You can also go there to sign up to receive each week's study.

Plus my website archives contains a complete collection of all my verse-by-verse Bible studies from Matthew, Mark, Luke, Acts, Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Hebrews, James, 1&2 Peter, Hebrews and Revelation, along with the unpublished volumes of The Faith Files.

Download John Study 17

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1. THE SOPHIA FUND UPDATE: $393 came in last week for The Fund, which is just super! As you know, I am using the money to feed AIDS orphans and widows in Kenya and Zimbabwe.

I wrote an update and a thank you for those who have given to the Fund four weeks ago and you can read it here. You can also read about my rationale for The Fund here (named after my late mother).

Please consider a contribution of at least $5 toward the fund and hopefully more. You can use the "Chipin" widget on the Monday Memo site to contribute, or go directly to my website to contribute there through PayPal, or send a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 91099, Pittsburgh, PA 15221. Make sure you let me know it is for The Sophia Fund. Don't delay; give today and make a difference in the world.

If you give a gift of $25 or more during the month of June, I will send you a free copy of my book, Strictly Business, while supplies last (I sent out nine so far). Thanks, and I look forward to seeing you play a part in addressing the issues of HIV/AIDS and world hunger.

2. REVELATION: I still need your help, although I had two good leads for publishing last week but no money. I have finished a devotional focusing on the book of Revelation and I feel an urgent need to self-publish this work, which will cost about $2,500. I wrote about this project in my blog a few months ago and encourage you to read what I wrote there. You can also read some sample excerpts of the book here.

In that post, I explain my urgency in wanting to get it out for people to read. Once you read my rationale, please consider if the Lord wants you to help me to restore an important book of the Bible that has been distorted by so many weird interpretations. I know there is someone out there who is going to help me with this project.  Maybe it is you.

3. DAILY PROVERB: I am now posting a short daily devotional focusing on one verse every day on my blog site. If you would like to read it or subscribe to receive it, just go to my site and register there. I promise to have it updated every day.

4. FACEBOOK: I update my status on Facebook (you can find me by searching my email, johnstanko@att.net) every morning to include a daily verse from Proverbs and an inspirational quote. I do the same on Twitter @johnstanko. Go there to sign up and follow along.

5. UK AND KENYA: I am scheduled to be in the UK from September 18-September 27 and then in Kenya from September 29-October 4.  If you can use my services while I am there to speak, consult or conduct a purpose seminar for your company or church, please let me know as soon as possible.

John Study 16: 9:35-10:24

Dear Student of the Word,

I am sitting in my seminary class but wanted to get this week's study out to you.  I missed last week because of school work, but I'm back on schedule now as classes wind down. This week, we move into John 10 where Jesus preached that He was the light of life and He had come to give life abundantly, as He confronted and was confronted by the Jewish leaders.  This week I wrote on day two of this seven-day study:

vs. 1-3 – I have lost count of how many times Jesus said “I tell you the truth.” What was His startling truth on this occasion?  He is the door and keeper of the sheep pen. Anyone who tried to enter the sheep pen by another way was considered a thief and robber – they were there for no good.  He said this in the context of His self-revelation to the man born blind and as part of His response to the Pharisees who asked if they too were blind.

Jesus is the shepherd of the sheep. It seems that shepherds sometimes put their sheep into a pen with stone walls, even mixing flocks.  Yet when the shepherd came and called his sheep, those who were his would come out immediately to follow him.  Jesus was using an analogy and metaphor that His audience would have easily understood.  When you teach, do you do the same?  You are a teacher, aren’t you?

We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! (Hebrews 5:11-12).

Jesus was indicating that there were those who are His, assigned to Him by the Father, and they will know His voice and follow Him. We just saw that a man born blind was one of those the Father gave Him, but the leaders of Israel, including the Pharisees, were not among those given to Him.  They did not know is voice, but God held them accountable that they did not.

So do you know the voice of God?  You probably do even more than you realize.  It is my opinion that God is always speaking to you and me.  For instance, we often say, “Something told me to take my umbrella!”  No, it wasn’t something, it was Someone!  When I hear people say, “I don’t hear God,” I don’t believe it.  Usually when I pursue it, I find they do but they just haven’t understood the process or how He speaks.

After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He replied, "I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too” (1 Kings 19:12-14).

So in light of this, what is God saying to you at this point in time? 

v. 4 – Jesus is your leader. He leads you and you follow Him. That is why it’s so important to recognize that He is speaking to you, whether through His Word, His still, small voice or other people. Don’t over-spiritualize this process. It is as simple as a shepherd leading his sheep.

As always, I welcome your comments to this week's study. You can write them or find the studies to Corinthians, Colossians, First Timothy, and Matthew's and Mark's gospels on the site where this week's entry is posted. You can also go there to sign up to receive each week's study.

Plus my website archives contains a complete collection of all my verse-by-verse Bible studies from Matthew, Mark, Luke, Acts, Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Hebrews, James, 1&2 Peter, Hebrews and Revelation, along with the unpublished volumes of The Faith Files.

Download John Study 16

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1. THE SOPHIA FUND UPDATE: $155 came in last week for The Fund and I wired $500 to be used in Zimbabwe. As I reported last week, I am having more fun with this than any one person should be allowed to have and thank you for your faithful support. Yet the purpose of the Fund is not fun, for we are using the money to feed AIDS orphans and widows in Kenya and Zimbabwe.

I wrote an update and a thank you for those who have given to the Fund two weeks ago and you can read it here. You can also read about my rationale for The Fund here (named after my late mother) that will help feed widows and orphans in Kenya and Zimbabwe.

Please consider a contribution of at least $5 toward the fund and hopefully more. You can use the "Chipin" widget on the Monday Memo site to contribute, or go directly to my website to contribute there through PayPal, or send a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 91099, Pittsburgh, PA 15221. Make sure you let me know it is for The Sophia Fund. Don't delay; give today and make a difference in the world.

If you give a gift of $25 or more during the month of June, I will send you a free copy of my book, Strictly Business, while supplies last (I sent out five last week). Thanks, and I look forward to seeing you play a part in addressing the issues of HIV/AIDS and world hunger.

2. REVELATION: I still need your help. I still cannot find a publisher for an important book I have written, which is a devotional focusing on the book of Revelation. So I feel an urgent need to self-publish this work, which will cost about $2,500. I wrote about this project in my blog a few months ago and encourage you to read what I wrote there. You can also read some sample excerpts of the book here.

In that post, I explain my urgency in wanting to get it out for people to read. Once you read my rationale, please consider if the Lord wants you to help me to restore an important book of the Bible that has been obscured by so many weird interpretations. I was ready to remove this appeal this week, but I sense someone is out there who is going to help. Just do whatever God is telling you to do.

3. DAILY PROVERB: I am now posting a short daily devotional focusing on one verse every day on my blog site. If you would like to read it or subscribe to receive it, just go to my site and register there. I promise to have it updated every day.

John Study 15: 9:1-34

Dear Student of the Word,

This week we take a look at my favorite story in the New Testament.  In John 9, we read about the man born blind whom Jesus healed on the Sabbath.  Jesus was courageous in confronting the hard-hearted Jews by healing once again on the Sabbath. The blind man was courageous, for he refused to dishonor Jesus when his interrogators investigated his healing.

This week I wrote on day six of this seven-day study:

9:23 – The parents were afraid of public rejection and humiliation.  That was more important to them than their son’s healing.  It was almost as if they wished he had not been healed.  How sad!  This is what religion can do to someone.  They had lost all their joy and compassion, trading them for the privilege of belonging to a church.  Forgive us, Lord!  Where were there priorities? Where are you priorities?

v. 24 – The investigation continued.  They summoned the blind man a second time to ask him the same questions. They tried to give him a chance to revise his story, but the man remained faithful to what he knew was the truth. The Jews tried asking him a leading question, but the man became feisty and combative with his interrogators.  This makes me want to stand and cheer the man on!

v. 25 – The man stated the truth, that he and none of those around him could judge Jesus as a sinner. Only God knew the truth.  The man did know, however, that he was blind but then could see.  The man stuck to giving his testimony, which no one can ever dispute. When is the last time you gave a testimony of what God did for you?  Perhaps you could write it instead of looking to speak it?  To whom would you send your testimony if you wrote it?

v. 26 – The authorities had already asked the man to answer these questions, but they repeated themselves, hoping perhaps to trip him up so that he would give conflicting testimony.  They also wanted to hear how Jesus had profaned the Sabbath during the healing, so they could confirm in their own minds that Jesus was in the wrong when He performed this right.

It is a dangerous thing to interrogate God to find fault with Him, yet people do it all the time.  I have done it in my own life, questioning God’s motives and faithfulness.  It is a result of the Fall that man questions what God has said and done, reserving for himself the right to decide what is good and not so good.  We can see this in the book of Job, where Job’s friends concluded that there must be something wrong or sinful with Job, while Job concluded that there must be something wrong with God.  Jesus came to glorify God in all things rather than to lead a debate about God. 

Have you ever “judged” God?  Are you judging Him now, questioning His goodness or timing?  If so, obviously you must repent of believing a lie about God, for God is nothing but faithful and true.

As always, I welcome your comments to this week's study. You can write them or find the studies to Corinthians, Colossians, First Timothy, and Matthew's and Mark's gospels on the site where this week's entry is posted. You can also go there to sign up to receive each week's study.

Plus my website archives contains a complete collection of all my verse-by-verse Bible studies from Matthew, Mark, Luke, Acts, Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Hebrews, James, 1&2 Peter, Hebrews and Revelation, along with the unpublished Faith Files.

Download John Study 15

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THE SOPHIA FUND UPDATE:  Last week, $150 came in for The Fund. I took some time this past week to write a thank you to everyone who has given so far, also giving an update on the Fund progress to date.  You can read about that update here.  You can also read about my rationale for The Fund here (named after my late mother) that will help feed widows and orphans in Kenya and Zimbabwe. 

Please consider a contribution of at least $5 toward the fund and hopefully more.  You can use the "Chipin" widget on the Monday Memo site to contribute, or go directly to my website to contribute there through PayPal, or send a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 91099, Pittsburgh, PA  15221.  Make sure you let me know it is for The Sophia Fund. Don't delay; give today and make a difference in the world.

REVELATION: I still need your help. I cannot find a publisher for an important book I have written, which is a devotional focusing on the book of Revelation. I wrote about this project in my blog last month and encourage you to read what I wrote there. In that post, I explain my urgency in wanting to get it out for people to read. Then please consider if the Lord wants you to help me to restore an important book of the Bible that has been obscured by so many weird interpretations.  If you have any questions about the project, please don't hesitate to contact me.

John Study 14: 8:31-59

Dear Student of the Word,

We continue to work our way through John's gospel, this week finishing up John 8.  In this chapter, Jesus' intent was to reveal the truth in the heart of the Jews who were secretly plotting to kill Him.  In order to do that, Jesus confronted them and declared that they were liars and that the devil and not God was their Father.  As you would expect, this infuriated the unbelieving Jews.  The chapter ends with Jesus' claim that He is the great "I AM," at which point the Jews tried to stone Him.  I wrote on day seven of this seven-day study:

v. 56 – Jesus made a remarkable statement that Abraham had seen the day of Jesus.  When did He see it and what did he see?  I have always gone to Genesis 22 for the answer:

When they reached the place God had told him about [Mount Moriah], Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son." Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided." (Genesis 22:9-14).

When Abraham saw the ram in the thicket, and he was on Mount Moriah where Jesus was talking with the Jews in John 8, he realized that one day God would provide a sacrifice for man, just as God provided a substitutionary sacrifice for Isaac.  Abraham saw the reality of Jesus and he put his faith that Jesus would act to save man from his sins.  It’s not just that Abraham saw it but that he saw it and rejoiced!

This should not surprise us.  God is able to open our eyes to see spiritual realities to which we would otherwise be oblivious.  Why not ask Him to open your eyes?  You don’t know what you may be missing.  I will follow my own advice.

v. 57 – The Jews were out of touch with everything Jesus had said so far, so we would expect that to continue.  The Jews understood that, if Jesus could talk so authoritatively about Abraham and what he saw, then Jesus was saying that He was there when Abraham did what Jesus was reporting to them.  The Jews were correct, but they could not comprehend how that could have been true.  For this statement to have been true, Jesus had to have been an eyewitness, plus know the reality of Abraham’s heart.  In other words, only God could know what Jesus was reporting.

v. 58 – Then Jesus delivered the decisive blow.  He claimed to be the great “I am” of the Old Testament.  This was the “name” or description that God Himself gave to Moses:

Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?"  God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:13-14).

Jesus was declaring that He was the same God who dispatched Moses to Egypt.  Can there be any more clear statement of who Jesus was?  There was never any ambivalence on Jesus’ part about who He was or what He had come to do.  He has now provoked the Jews into revealing what He contended was there all along:  murder.

v. 59 – The Jews picked up stones to hurl at Him, considering Jesus a blasphemer.  They were ready to show their true colors as murderers.  Of course, it was not Jesus’ time to depart, so He slipped away through the crowd.  Jesus did not stay around, for His time had not yet come.

That is a good example for anyone to follow who faces that kind of persecution.  If you can escape, do so.  When you have no escape, you will know that you are in God’s hands, and He will either protect you or not.  You must trust Him for whichever decision He chooses to make.  Can you trust the Lord for your well being and safety?  If you can, then are you still afraid to fly, afraid of water, fearful of traveling, concerned about avoiding missions work? 

As always, I welcome your comments to this week's study. You can write them or find the studies to Corinthians, Colossians, First Timothy, and Matthew's and Mark's gospels on the site where this week's entry is posted. You can also go there to sign up to receive each week's study.

Plus my website archives contains a complete collection of all my verse-by-verse Bible studies from Matthew, Mark, Luke, Acts, Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Hebrews, James, 1&2 Peter, Hebrews and Revelation, along with the unpublished Faith Files.

Download John Study 14

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REVELATION: I need your help. I urgently want to publish my next book, this time a devotional from the book of Revelation. I wrote about this project in my blog last week and encourage you to read what I wrote there. In that post, I explain my urgency in wanting to get it out for people to read. Then please consider if the Lord wants you to help me to restore an important book of the Bible that has been obscured by so many weird interpretations.  If you have any questions about the project, please don't hesitate to contact me.

THE SOPHIA FUND UPDATE:  Last week, $335 came in for The Fund.  As I promised, every penny you send is going to feed the poor in Zimbabwe and Kenya (We wired $1000 to Kenya two weeks ago, with another $500 slated to go to Zimbabwe this week). Nothing goes to overhead or administration.  Won't you consider helping orphans and widows today?  You can read about my rationale for The Fund here (named after my late mother) that will help feed widows and orphans in Kenya and Zimbabwe. 

Please consider a contribution of at least $5 toward the fund and hopefully more.  You can use the "Chipin" widget on the Monday Memo site to contribute, or go directly to my website to contribute there through PayPal, or send a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 91099, Pittsburgh, PA  15221.  Make sure you let me know it is for The Sophia Fund. Don't delay; give today and make a difference in the world.

John Study 13: 8:1-30

Dear Student of the Word,

Yes, it's a week later and time for your weekly dose from John's gospel.  This week we move into John 8 where we consider the story of the woman caught in adultery and then continue with Jesus discourse on the Temple Mount to the unbelieving Jews.  Jesus was faithful to His mission and purpose regardless of whether or not He got immediate results.  He trusted the Father with what He was doing.  This week I wrote on day-seven of this seven-day study:

v. 26 – Jesus was a faithful and reliable messenger, the one referred to in Proverbs:

Like the coolness of snow at harvest time is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the spirit of his masters (Proverbs 25:13).

Are you a faithful messenger?  Do you deliver the message that God has given you for those around you?  Are you giving testimony and bearing witness to others of God’s goodness in your life?

v. 27 – The Jews did not understand that Jesus was talking about the Father, yet Jesus kept right on talking. That was His mission and that was what He had to do in obedience to the Father.  Can you be so faithful in the face of so much misunderstanding and dullness on the part of your target audience? 

v. 28 – Jesus made a reference to His death that was imminent, then only months away. Many more would see from that point forward the truth of His words and deeds.  This was an act of faith on Jesus’ part, for He had to trust the results for His mission to the Father.  He could not see the results from His ministry at that point in time, yet He remained faithful to the cause and call.  Can you be faithful and not focus on results but on your performance?  That is a difficult thing to do.  Your results may not come until after you’re gone!

I am writing these studies with such faith, for I have no idea of how God will use them.  Yet I have written every day for the last eight years in faith and hope. 

v. 29 – Jesus always did the things that pleased the Father and you and I have the same duty and privilege.  Pleasing God is a theme that runs throughout the New Testament.  Here are a few examples.  Can you find more?

I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God (Philippians 4:18).

But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God (1 Timothy 5:14).

{May God] equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen (Hebrews 13:21).

v. 30 – As Jesus preached and taught, many put their faith in Him, just because of what He said. There is that dynamic of the Spirit bearing witness to the truth that I mentioned earlier.  That is still the way that people come to faith in Christ: through His preached word.

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?  And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?" Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ (Romans 10:14-17).

Are you preaching and teaching the Word?  When and to whom?  Are you discouraged with the results?  If so, then encourage yourself today.  The results are in God’s hands and you can reap an abundant harvest if you don’t give up.

A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a trustworthy envoy brings healing (Proverbs 13:17).

As always, I welcome your comments to this week's study. You can write them or find the studies to Corinthians, Colossians, First Timothy, and Matthew's and Mark's gospels on the site where this week's entry is posted. You can also go there to sign up to receive each week's study.

Plus my website archives contains a complete collection of all my verse-by-verse Bible studies from Matthew, Mark, Luke, Acts, Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Hebrews, James, 1&2 Peter, Hebrews and Revelation, along with the unpublished Faith Files.

Download John Study 13

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REVELATION: I need your help. I urgently want to publish my next book, this time a devotional from the book of Revelation. I wrote about this project in my blog last week and encourage you to read what I wrote there. In that post, I explain my urgency in wanting to get it out for people to read. Then please consider if the Lord wants you to help me to restore an important book of the Bible that has been obscured by so many weird interpretations.  If you have any questions about the project, please don't hesitate to contact me.

THE SOPHIA FUND UPDATE: Last week, $110 came in for The Fund and I placed a container in a major restaurant to collect money for The Fund. As I promised, every penny you send is going to feed the poor in Zimbabwe and Kenya (We wired $1000 to Kenya two weeks ago, with another $500 slated to go to Zimbabwe as soon as someone can carry it over for me). Nothing goes to overhead or administration.  Won't you consider helping orphans and widows today?  You can read about my rationale for The Fund here (named after my late mother) that will help feed widows and orphans in Kenya and Zimbabwe. 

Please consider a contribution of at least $5 toward the fund and hopefully more.  You can use the "Chipin" widget on the Monday Memo site to contribute, or go directly to my website to contribute there through PayPal, or send a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 91099, Pittsburgh, PA  15221.  Make sure you let me know it is for The Sophia Fund. Don't delay; give today and make a difference in the world.

John Study 12: 7:25-53

Dear Student of the Word,

It's time once again for your weekly study from John.  This week we move on to John 7, where Jesus came to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles, taught in the Temple courts and had an encounter once again with the Jewish authorities.  At this point, the leaders had put out a contract on Jesus' life, determining that He must die. 

With that in mind, this is what I wrote on day six of this seven-day study that you can download below:

vs. 50&51 – Nicodemus had courage, for he was at least willing to ask a question that challenged the pronouncement that all were against Jesus on the ruling council.  It takes great courage to challenge authoritarian leadership, especially when they are set on preserving their own world and power.  The council had become dictators and saw themselves as vastly superior to “the people.”  They considered the people under a curse due to their ignorance of the Law, which meant that the leaders’ studies and knowledge had set them free.  They did not and could not see their bondage.

The leaders did not allow people to speak freely or openly; everything had to be said in “whispers.”  They attempted to rule by fiat and edicts, telling the people what they could or could not do and believe. 

The interesting point here is that Nicodemus was correct!  The Law did require that the accused have a hearing, but the leaders were not interested in due process or procedure here. They were only interested at that point in ridding the earth of Jesus’ presence.  Therefore, their judgment was clouded and biased.  That makes Nicodemus’ comment all the more courageous and a harbinger of things to come, for Jesus would have an impact on that Council for many years to come.  If fact, Jesus’ presence and their ultimate decision about what to do with Jesus both contributed to the end of that leadership council thirty years later.

How courageous are you to stand up to authority that has gone bad?  Are you whispering, saying what you think needs to be said, but hiding it from those who would disapprove?  Are you saying what you believe about Jesus in the settings where He has placed you?  Remember what Jesus said in another gospel:

If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels (Luke 9:26).

v. 52 – The council members turned on one of their own and rebuked Nicodemus, accusing him of being from Galilee and thus sympathetic to Jesus due to parochial influence. The Council was so certain that no good could come from Galilee that they dismissed Jesus because of where He lived!  This was the equivalent of discrimination or bias, which also renders leadership ineffective when they operate in it. 

Throughout these studies, I have been “hard” on leaders.  Leadership requires much development and great skill; it isn’t just a gift.  All leaders, even spiritual ones, have the power to do great good or cause great upset and evil. We see the effects of poor leaders throughout history, the Bible and current affairs.  That is why I am passionate about leaders developing and training themselves to be all God wants them to be.  Leaders are not and never will be perfect, but they have the responsibility to perform at the highest level possible, admitting mistakes along the way.

What kind of leader are you?  What kind of leader do you want to be?  What price are you willing to pay to be a great leader?

As always, I welcome your comments to this week's study. You can write them or find the studies to Corinthians, Colossians, First Timothy, and Matthew's and Mark's gospels on the site where this week's entry is posted. You can also go there to sign up to receive each week's study.

Plus my website archives contains a complete collection of all my verse-by-verse Bible studies from Matthew, Mark, Luke, Acts, Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Hebrews, James, 1&2 Peter, Hebrews and Revelation, along with the unpublished Faith Files.

Download John Study 12

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REVELATION: I need your help. I urgently want to publish my next book, this time a devotional from the book of Revelation. I wrote about this project in my blog last week and encourage you to read what I wrote there. In that post, I explain my urgency in wanting to get it out for people to read. Then please consider if the Lord wants you to help me to restore an important book of the Bible that has been obscured by so many weird interpretations.  If you have any questions about the project, please don't hesitate to contact me.

THE SOPHIA FUND UPDATE:  Last week, $200 came in for The Fund. As I promised, every penny you send is going to feed the poor in Zimbabwe and Kenya (we wired $1000 to Kenya this past week). Nothing goes to overhead or administration.  Won't you consider helping orphans and widows today?  You can read about my rationale for The Fund here (named after my late mother) that will help feed widows and orphans in Kenya and Zimbabwe. 

Please consider a contribution of at least $5 toward the fund and hopefully more.  You can use the "Chipin" widget on the Monday Memo site to contribute, or go directly to my website to contribute there through PayPal, or send a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 91099, Pittsburgh, PA  15221.  Make sure you let me know it is for The Sophia Fund. Don't delay; give today and make a difference in the world.

John Study 11: 6:66-7:24

Dear Student of the Word,

Greetings once again in the name of our Lord!  Are you ready for your next dose of Bible study from John's gospel?  I hope so, for here it is!  This week we move into John 7 where Jesus ignored His brothers' advice to go to Jerusalem and make a big scene, choosing rather to go quietly after the Feast had begun. This week I wrote the following on day five of this seven-day study:

vs. 14&15 – The Feast was a week-long celebration and Jesus left Galilee to go to Jerusalem halfway through the week.  Rabbis customarily taught in the temple courts and Jesus took His place among them, gathering a crowd to teach on the Law and the prophets.  What did Jesus teach about?  He taught about the Law of God; Jesus was a “Word man.”  He preached from God’s word and spoke not as the prophets but as God! 

Every other prophet and teacher in Israel had said, “Thus saith the Lord.”  Jesus said, “I say unto you.”  Do you see the difference?  Jesus did not bring a word from God; Jesus was (and is) God!  The people wondered where He got this learning without studying.  This did not mean that Jesus had not studied the Scriptures, but that He was not part of any rabbinical school or tradition. Jesus had no mentor in ministry for the Father was His mentor and teacher.  Who are your mentors?

v. 16 – Jesus had already described the relationship He had with the Father, and readily acknowledged that the teaching He gave came from Him.  Who is your source for insight?  If you say “The Lord,” then do you get good results?  Do you sense heaven’s help in what you do?  If so, how can you expand your influence and be even more successful for Him?  If you are not, then where is the disconnect?

v. 17 – This verse is an important verse for the life and work of every believer.  Jesus told the crowd that if anyone makes up his or her mind to do God’s will, then that person will always know whether or not the teaching or leading is from God.  This contains an interesting principle.  If I surrender my veto power, so to speak, and seek God’s will, committing to do it whatever it may be before I know what it is, then God will make His will clear.

God is a great communicator.  He speaks every language, speaks through His word, through other people (those who know Him and those who don’t), speaks through circumstances, and even through a donkey if need be!  God is always “broadcasting.”  Are you always listening?  God is always speaking.  Are you expecting to hear?

If you expect that finding God’s will is difficult, then it will be. If you expect God to reveal His will and purpose and commit to do it beforehand, then finding God’s will is an easier process.

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does (James 1:5-8).

Are you double minded where the will of God is concerned? 

As always, I welcome your comments to this week's study. You can write them or find the studies to Corinthians, Colossians, First Timothy, and Matthew's and Mark's gospels on the site where this week's entry is posted. You can also go there to sign up to receive each week's study.

Plus my website archives contains a complete collection of all my verse-by-verse Bible studies from Matthew, Mark, Luke, Acts, Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Hebrews, James, 1&2 Peter, Hebrews and Revelation, along with the unpublished Faith Files.

Download John Study 11

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DAILY PROVERB ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER:  I continue to send out a daily verse from Proverbs through my personal page on Facebook (find me through my email, johnstanko@att.net).  Sign up so you can follow along.  Also you can find me and follow Proverbs every day on Twitter @johnstanko.

THE SOPHIA FUND:  We received $200 so far this week for The Sophia Fund. Thank you for your ongoing support, but please don't stop now. The need is urgent and the workers are grateful, but are requesting even more help.  If you didn't read the email below that I received last week from Eddie Adembesa in Kenya, here it is again:

Greetings from us all WEMA widows with the trust that all is well by the grace of God.
 
This is to acknowledge that we have received $1,000 Sophie Fund and $50 St. Paul’s Baptist Church which you sent to us through SARAH NETWORK towards the feeding programme for orphans under the care of WEMA widows.
 
This has not only put a smile on the face of the children but also the widows who have great lack due to the prolonged drought that Kenya is facing.
 
To every single person who made this possible, it’s a big thank you and God truly bless you and enlarge your territories. A good measure shaken together, pressed down and overflowing. I call this a divine connection from God. Let’s continue to pray for one another as we continue noble task. Once again thank you and God bless you.

As I promised, every penny you send is going to feed the poor in Zimbabwe and Kenya. Nothing goes to overhead or administration.  With reports like the one above, won't you consider helping orphans and widows today?  You can read about my rationale for The Fund here (named after my late mother) that will help feed widows and orphans in Kenya and Zimbabwe. 

Please consider a contribution of at least $5 toward the fund and hopefully more.  You can use the "Chipin" widget on the Monday Memo site to contribute, or go directly to my website to contribute there through PayPal, or send a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 91099, Pittsburgh, PA  15221.  Make sure you let me know it is for The Sophia Fund. Don't delay; give today and make a difference in the world.

The most recent posted entry about The Sophia Fund is here.