Anthony Bates

Say “Yes” to What Matters

Peter sat in grief and darkness. He had publicly denied knowing Jesus just before Jesus was crucified. And for a couple of days, Peter had to process his guilt without expecting it to go away. But on the third day, Jesus’ tomb was found empty and the stone rolled away. 

Not long afterward though, Peter was out in a boat with several other disciples doing what he was trained to do before he met Jesus: fishing. 

It’s as he’s doing this that Jesus appears. But instead of letting Peter continue to live with the shame of his past, Jesus pulls him aside and asks him a question that propels Peter into his purpose: 

“Do you love me?”

Three times Jesus asks Peter this—one for each time Peter denied him. This wasn’t a passive-aggressive question: Jesus was inviting Peter to reaffirm the relationship he’d previously denied. 

Every time Peter responds with, “Yes Lord, you know that I love you,” Jesus re-commissions Peter by calling him into the role of church builder and shepherd. 

Jesus’ resurrection meant that Peter didn’t have to be defined by his mistakes. He could still embrace the call on his life and become the leader Jesus knew he could be. 

Like Peter, you also have the opportunity to say “yes” to loving Jesus and being loved by Him. No matter how dysfunctional your life looks, or how far from Jesus you feel, there is nothing that can separate you from His love. 

Your past mistakes or current problems do not dictate your purpose when your life is rooted in Christ. 

God has given each of us access to a free gift we don’t deserve: a free gift that is available when we choose to love God and receive His relentless, sacrificial love for us.

The resurrection reassures us that no situation or mistake is impossible for God to redeem. There is no fear Jesus cannot conquer and no life He cannot heal. No darkness can stand against the power of the risen God who conquered death on our behalf. 

There is nothing our God can’t do, and no one our God can’t redeem. 

Today, say “yes” to Jesus and allow Him to reveal His deep, unending love for you.

This Teaching Clip made me think of you. Watch Season 6 Coming in November! by The Chosen:

This Teaching Clip made me think of you. Watch Matthew 6:19 by The Chosen:

Matthew 6:19 NIV

[19] “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

From Dawn to Dusk

Close your eyes for a moment. And while you do that, picture this wonderfully diverse planet we call home. (Yes, really.)

Everything that you just imagined—God created all of it. And God created all of us to worship Him.

From north to south and east to west. From bustling cities to slow-paced villages. From lifeless deserts to life-packed forests. From the highest mountains to the farthest oceans.

“From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised!”

Psalm 113:3 NIV

The sun “rises” and “sets” on all of us. All people, all languages, all nations. All skin colors, eye colors, and hair colors. All shapes, sizes, and personalities. Rich and poor. Aching hearts and contagious smiles.

An eclectic mix of people from various parts of the world have been praising God from generation to generation—and it continues to happen now. And we know it will never stop.

In Revelation 7, John has a vision of a “great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb,” who is Christ. They are serving and worshiping, all day and night.

God’s people—past, present, and future—are a worshiping people. 

We can worship with our songs.

We can worship with our money.

We can worship with our lives.

And one day, when we finally see things clearly, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. But today, we don’t have to wait to worship.

When sunlight streams through your windows, you can worship.

When the evening sky turns orange-ish pink, you can worship.

When you’re in a season of waiting, you can worship.

When you’re in a season of receiving, you can worship.

When your heart is breaking, you can worship.

When your heart is full, you can worship.

From dawn to dusk, let the name of the Lord be praised.

Today, think about this verse and consider what compels you to worship God. Then, shift your heart toward Him and don’t forget to worship.

This Teaching Clip made me think of you. Watch Psalm 113:3 by Kid Min Collective:

Psalms 113:3 NIV

[3] From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.

Loving Others Well

Jesus said a lot of things. Beautiful, enlightening, and important things. But there’s one command that sums up how we should live...

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

John 13:34

When we look at Jesus’ life, how did He live out this love? And how can we model His actions in our own lives?

Love compelled Jesus to give up His privileges. As Creator and Lord, Jesus could've done whatever He wanted. But what He wanted was to temporarily relinquish His rights and even put on human skin—so that we could be made right with God.

Love compelled Jesus to prioritize people: The woman at the well. The unclean leper. The woman with the issue of blood. The despised tax collector. The desperate centurion. The thief hanging next to Him on the cross. Jesus didn’t see problems—He saw people.

Love compelled Jesus to serve others. He washed His disciples feet. He went out of His way for the marginalized. He stopped for the sick, weary, and broken. And in the end, He gave His own life. For the long-time sinner and the seemingly put-together person, Jesus died so that we can truly live.

Love compelled Jesus to value truth and grace. In a world where some elevate grace and others prioritize truth, Jesus valued both. He turned over tables when God’s house was turned into a den of thieves, and He showed great compassion to a woman caught in adultery.

If we’re ever unsure about how to love others, let’s look to Jesus as the ultimate example. He selflessly gave up His rights, prioritized people, served others to the point of laying down His life, and valued both truth and grace.

And as we love like He loved, we'll become more like Him.

This Teaching Clip made me think of you. Watch John 13:34 by Go Movement:

John 13:34 NIV

[34] “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

From Death to Life

Many of us unfortunately know what it feels like to lose a loved one. And we've longed to have just a few more hours with them here on earth.

John 11 tells the story of Lazarus—a man who died but, by the power of God through His Son, Jesus Christ, was brought back to life four days later. It was a miracle. What was dead became alive again! And yet, we only know that Lazarus’ physical body was resurrected.

In this passage from Romans, Paul writes about a different type of resurrection—the best kind of resurrection. Unlike Lazarus, Jesus' resurrection wasn't merely physical, but also one of the Spirit. It wasn't temporary, but permanent.

But before Jesus’ resurrection, he willingly faced a painful, slow, emotional death. Jesus died that death for you. He suffered on the cross for you. He bore the weight of all sin and affliction so that you might live with Him forever.

The Bible tells us how this story ends, but on the day that Jesus died, the people who loved Him did not know its end. They mourned, they grieved, they wept. Jesus' death felt final, but it wasn't.

You might have a friend or family member who’s far from God, who doesn’t know the good news that comes after mourning. Or you might be in that same period of uncertainty—feeling like you don’t know the rest of the story. 

When you've been united with Jesus by accepting the truth that He died in your place, as well as His free gift of grace, you can know that you have passed from death to life—forever! Your eternity is secure with Him. You can have joy and hope, and you can share it with others.

This Teaching Clip made me think of you. Watch Romans 6:5 by The Bible Effect:

Romans 6:5 NIV

[5] For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.