Forward Ever, Backward Never. Part [23] 12/20/2025 (Morning thought)

John 7:After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him. 2 Now the Jew's feast of tabernacles was at hand.

They sought out His enemies, for they were in harmony with their spirit and work. They misinterpreted His words, falsified His statements, and impugned His motives. They sustained their course by gathering up every item that could be turned against Him; and such indignation was stirred up by these false reports that His life was in danger. The news spread swiftly that by His own confession Jesus of Nazareth was not the Messiah.

And thus in Galilee the current of popular feeling was turned against Him, as, the year before, it had been in Judea. Alas for Israel! They rejected their Savior, because they longed for a conqueror who would give them temporal power. They wanted the meat which perishes, and not that which endures unto everlasting life. With a yearning heart, Jesus saw those who had been His disciples departing from Him, the Life and the Light of men.

The consciousness that His compassion was unappreciated, His love unrequited, His mercy slighted, His salvation rejected, filled Him with sorrow that was inexpressible. It was such developments as these that made Him a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. Without attempting to hinder those who were leaving Him, Jesus turned to the twelve and said, “Will you also go away?”

John 6:27 Labor not for the meat which perishes, but for that meat which endures unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!

Forward Ever, Backward Never. Part [22] 12/20/2025 (Evening thought)

John 6:67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will you also go away? 68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

“Whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner.” Matthew 3:12. This was one of the times of purging. By the words of truth, the chaff was being separated from the wheat. Because they were too vain and self-righteous to receive reproof, too world-loving to accept a life of humility, many turned away from Jesus. Many are still doing the same thing. Souls are tested today as were those disciples in the synagogue at Capernaum.

When truth is brought home to the heart, they see that their lives are not in accordance with the will of God. They see the need of an entire change in themselves; but they are not willing to take up the self-denying work. Therefore they are angry when their sins are discovered. They go away offended, even as the disciples left Jesus, murmuring, “This is an hard saying; who can hear it?” Praise and flattery would be pleasing to their ears; but the truth is unwelcome; they cannot hear it.

When the crowds follow, and the multitudes are fed, and the shouts of triumph are heard, their voices are loud in praise; but when the searching of God’s Spirit reveals their sin, and bids them leave it, they turn their backs upon the truth, and walk no more with Jesus. As those disaffected disciples turned away from Christ, a different spirit took control of them. They could see nothing attractive in Him whom they had once found so interesting.

John 6:70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? 71 He spoke of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

May God add His blessing to the study of His word. “Good night” and God bless!