David Young's Blog (396)

After the large group of disciples deserted him Jesus ministered only in Galilee for some time. He did not go at all into Judea because the Jewish hierarchy were threatening to kill him. With the Feast of Booths at hand Jesus went back to his childhood home in Nazareth. There he found his brothers and sisters and their families gathered. His oldest brother, Joseph, welcomed him. 

“Jesus! We are glad to see you. We…

(It has been 4 weeks since I posted one of these stories based upon the signs of Jesus recorded in the Gospel of John. This story is actually a continuation of a supposed gathering of the disciples who were at table when Jesus first instituted the Lord’s Supper, now a full year later.)

We sat together for a while after we had eaten, all of us reluctant to…

In John 7:25 Jesus said,

“Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgement.”

I am not addressing these remarks to everyone. But some of you will allow God to lead you deeper…

“Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgement.”

John 7:25

I am struck by the rendition of Philippians 4:5…

We gathered again in the upper room where we had celebrated the Passover on that last night before our Lord was crucified. This had been a very exciting year. It began with the greatest tragedy we had ever experienced. That led to the most thrilling event in history. Jesus was raised from the dead! Everything in us and everything in the world was changed by those events. The church in Jerusalem continues to multiply despite…

I love the miraculous appearance of the Angel of The Lord in Luke 2:8-14.

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you…

We were amazed when we saw Jesus heal the sick. We decided then to become his disciples. We led a multitude that grew larger at every village along the sea until we came to where Jesus had gone to the far side of the sea with some of his disciples. He amazed us even more by feeding everyone there with what looked to us like a little boy’s lunch. We wanted to make him king. But we hardly had time to tell him of our devotion when he went back up the…

After feeding the multitude Jesus left us with the people while he went up the mountain to pray. At the end of the day we went down to the water. I steadied the boat while everyone got in. Releasing the line that was fixed loosely to a tree along the shore, I came aboard. At Simon's command, we set a course for Capernaum. Darkness fell, and a strong wind blew up. We took down the sails lest we capsize in the storm. We had to row against the waves.…

After the conflicts we had with the other Jews, Jesus took a group of us across the sea. He led us up a mountain, and sat down with us for a special time of teaching. The Passover was near, and we could not help thinking of Moses taking the elders up the mountain where God gave the law. 

Shortly after he had begun Jesus lifted his eyes and saw a huge multitude that had followed him around the sea. I stepped near the edge of the place where he was…

After the conflicts we had with the other Jews, Jesus took a group of us across the sea. He led us up a mountain, and sat down with us for a special time of teaching. The Passover was near, and we could not help thinking of Moses taking the elders up the mountain where God gave the law. 

Shortly after he had begun Jesus lifted his eyes and saw a huge multitude that had followed him around the sea. I stepped near the edge of the place where he was…

We had seen some mighty works done by Jesus. James and John and Andrew and I were the only ones to see Jesus fill a boat with fish from only one dip of a net. After that Jesus said we would fish for men, and we left our boats to follow him. Believe me, we told others about the miracle catch until they were tired of hearing us. We also saw Jesus turn water to wine. Most of the people at the wedding never knew what happened, but we did. He healed the…

We had seen some mighty works done by Jesus. James and John and Andrew and I were the only ones to see Jesus fill a boat with fish from only one dip of a net. After that Jesus said we would fish for men, and we left our boats to follow him. Believe me, we told others about the miracle catch until they were tired of hearing us. We also saw Jesus turn water to wine. Most of the people at the wedding never knew what happened, but we did. He healed the…

We were camped on the Mount of Olives outside of Bethany on our way to the feast in Jerusalem. And even though the Pharisees had not yet unleashed their wrath on us, I was surprised when Jesus invited Peter, my brother John, and me to go with him to meet secretly with a Pharisee named Nicodemus. This man was actually a member of the Sanhedrin.

A storm was blowing up from the West and it had begun to rain when…

I have, of course, always known that Jesus was special. I was convinced by the angel who appeared to me so long ago telling me he would be called the Son of God. But that is difficult to think about in the everyday passage of life. I had almost forgotten that he had a special calling when he put James and Joseph in charge of their father's carpentry business and began to teach.

Salome, the daughter of…

This is the second of the stories in a book I am writing called SIGNS.

Philip and I didn't really have a fight or even a quarrel, but it was certainly a separation of some kind. I suppose he just got tired of my discontent. But I miss seeing him.…

My oncologist has not been very positive about how much time I have. I know that is in God's hands. Still, I had made peace that EARS TO HEAR might be my finale. But I now have a new idea for a book. I am calling it, SIGNS. It will be a collection of short stories on events surrounding the…

"I have been all over the world.

I have seen many religions 

and heard many philosophies.

How can I know…

I am grieved over the reality of abortion in our midst. In America alone we have put to death nearly 60 million unborn babies since the Roe v. Wade supreme Court ruling in 1973. It is a little encouraging that the number of abortions each year has decreased significantly. I am sure that is largely because of protests of this insidious evil primarily by Christians. 

However,…

“Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.”

Our visit to Sychar was as amazing us as it was to the Samaritans. We had always been taught that they were unclean. And at least James and I had reason to fear them. I won't go into that now. But Jesus marched us…

Have you discovered the truth of this statement by Jesus in the Bible?

“Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again.” 

Whatever you are living for will not satisfy or fulfill. You may think, if you just had a faster car, a  nicer house and…